Online classes in journalism & media law

This summer, you can earn college credits studying newswriting or media law -- all while tanning on the beach or lounging in your living room.

I'm teaching online courses on "Writing for Newspapers" (a.k.a. Newswriting) and "Free Speech, Media Law & Democracy" through Adelphi University, where I'm a professor. The 3-credit classes feature video lectures, interactive exercises and class discussions, all of which can be done through your computer. You never need to set foot in an actual classroom.

In the 5-week Media Law class, students learn about the First Amendment, free speech, copyright, libel, protecting confidential sources, getting government records, cyberspace issues and other media law issues from a lawyer and former journalist.

In the 8-week Newswriting course, students learn how to report, interview, write and revise news stories. Students will be assigned to cover real news stories and will receive detailed feedback. In the past, students have had articles published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Newsday, Charleston (S.C.) Post & Courier and other newspapers.

For more info, click here or contact me. Space is limited, so register ASAP.

-Mark Grabowski

Online summer courses in media law & journalism

This summer, you can earn college credits studying newswriting or media law -- all while tanning on the beach or lounging in your living room.

I'm teaching online courses on "Writing for Newspapers" (a.k.a. Newswriting) and "Free Speech, Media Law & Democracy" through Adelphi University, where I'm a professor. The 3-credit classes feature video lectures, interactive exercises and class discussions, all of which can be done through your computer. You never need to set foot in an actual classroom.

In the 4-week Media Law class, students learn about the First Amendment, free speech, copyright, libel, protecting confidential sources, getting government records, cyberspace issues and other media law issues from a lawyer and former journalist.

In the 8-week Newswriting course, students learn how to report, interview, write and revise news stories. Students will be assigned to cover real news stories and will receive detailed feedback. In the past, students have had articles published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Newsday, Charleston (S.C.) Post & Courier and other newspapers.

For more info, click here or contact me. Space is limited, so register ASAP.

Online summer course in Media Law

This summer, you can earn 3 college credits studying media law -- all while tanning on the beach or lounging in your living room.

I'm teaching an online course on Mass Communication Law through Marist College, where I'm a professor. The 10-week class features video lectures and class discussions, which can be done through your computer. Learn about the First Amendment, free speech, copyright, libel, protecting confidential sources, getting government records, cyberspace issues and other media law issues from a lawyer and former journalist. You never need to set foot in an actual classroom.

For more info, click here. Register ASAP -- only five spots remain.

-Mark Grabowski

Location: Telecommute, Anywhere, United States

Online class in media law

This summer, you can earn 3 college credits studying media law -- all while sitting on the beach.

I'm teaching an online course on Mass Communication Law through Marist College, where I'm a professor. The 10-week class features video lectures and class discussions, which can be done through your computer. Learn about the First Amendment, free speech, copyright, libel, protecting sources, getting government records, cyberspace issues and other media law issues from a lawyer and former journalist. You never need to set foot in an actual classroom.

For more info, click here.

-Mark Grabowski

Location: Anywhere, Telecommute, United States

Media law fellowship @ Harvard Law

Harvard Law School is offering a year-long paid fellowship in media law. The fellow will split time between the law school's cyber law clinic and the Citizens Media Law Project, which provides legal help to online and citizen media.

"Through collaboration with lawyers and law students in Harvard Law School's Cyberlaw Clinic, the Fellow may provide legal assistance to individuals and organizations that operate online and citizen media ventures," the ad states. "The Fellow also may assist in the supervision and mentoring of clinical students ... While this position is full-time, the Fellow will have the opportunity to spend a limited amount of time pursuing his/her own related academic research interests and will be provided a computer work station, Internet access, and access to Harvard's extensive library system."

Applicants must have a J.D. , be admitted to a state bar and have at least three years work experience.

Apply online.

Paid intern @ free speech think tank

The Center for Competitive Politics -- a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization focused on protecting the First Amendment political rights of speech, assembly, and petition -- seeks a communication intern for the spring.

The full-time internship is based in Washington, D.C., has flexible start/end dates and includes a $500-per-month stipend.

By February 1, send cover letter, resume, two writing samples, one recommendation and a transcript or list of all college-level classes taken to date. Apply online.

Media law & legal journalism opportunities

There's a lot of cross-over between law and journalism. Both professions require superior research and writing skills, critical thinking, and knowledge of government and the legal system. It's no wonder that a lot of lawyers work as journalists and many journalists have gone on to become lawyers.

For example, Fox News' Greta Van Susteren is a Georgetown Law alumnus. Slate's Dahlia Lithwick went to Stanford Law. On the flip side, former Providence Journal reporter Robert Luskin is now a prominent litigator at Patton Boggs, a prestigious Washington law firm. Levine Sullivan Koch & Schulz, a renowned First Amendment boutique law firm, has a staff full of journalists-turned-lawyers. (And, I've done both professions, as well.)

To assist with the crossover, I've created a Law & Journalism page that lists career and educational opportunities in media law and in legal journalism.

-Mark Grabowski

Paid media law internships

Society of Professional Journalists offers two Pulliam/Kilgore Freedom of Information Internships.

One intern works in the Washington office of Baker & Hostetler, a large international law firm and the Society's legal counsel. The other intern works at the Society's headquarters in Indianapolis. The 10-week internship pays $400 per week.

Applicants must be journalism students who are entering or just completing their senior year, a graduate journalism student, or a law student with a journalism background.

Applications must be postmarked by January 5th.

Paid internships @ Student Press Law Center

If you're interested in news writing and media law, consider a paid internship at the Student Press Law Center.

SPLC, an organization dedicated to protecting high school and college press freedom, has paid internships year-round in its Washington, D.C.-area office. College students, graduate and law students and recent college graduates are eligible to apply.

"Interns research, write and help edit the Report, the Center's thrice-yearly magazine that chronicles student press law cases and controversies from around the country," according to SPLC. "Interns serve as the magazine's news staff, reporting and writing news stories. Interns also write News Flashes and analysis pieces for the Center's popular Web site. Interns have followed the efforts of state legislatures around the country to pass laws protecting high school students' free press rights and covered landmark litigation by the college and commercial media seeking access to campus crime information. Their stories have ranged from exploring the impact of school violence on students' free expression rights to antagonism between the student media and the NCAA."

Full-time spring and fall school semester interns receive a living expense stipend of $3,000 and full-time summer interns receive a stipend of $2,300 and may be eligible for a $700 scholarship from the Associated Collegiate Press. Many interns arrange to receive academic credit from their college or university with the support of the SPLC.

There is no formal application deadline, but applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by the following deadlines:

Spring Internship (January - May): November 8, 2008
Summer Internship (May - August): February 1, 2009
Fall Internship (September - December): July 1, 2009