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Communications Law Commons™

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2000

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Articles 61 - 87 of 87

Full-Text Articles in Communications Law

Claim Construction Must Be Reexamined - As A Matter Of Fact, Pitney Bowes Undermines Markman, Chelsea Mcginity Bonini Jan 2000

Claim Construction Must Be Reexamined - As A Matter Of Fact, Pitney Bowes Undermines Markman, Chelsea Mcginity Bonini

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

The question of whether claims construction in patent infringement cases should be decided by the judge or jury has been a matter of contention. This note examines the backdrop against which the United States Supreme Court deemed claim construction to be a matter of law solely for district court judges in Herbert Markman and Positek, Inc. v. Westview Instruments, Inc. and Altheon Enterprises, Inc. The author asserts that Pitney Bowes, Inc. v. Hewlett-Packard Co., a recent Federal Circuit case, undermines the holding in Markman. The author argues that in light of the recent Pitney case, the United States Supreme Court …

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New Technology Clauses Aren't Broad Enough: Why A New Standard Of Interpretation Must Be Adopted For Internet Distribution, Lisa A. Flate Jan 2000

New Technology Clauses Aren't Broad Enough: Why A New Standard Of Interpretation Must Be Adopted For Internet Distribution, Lisa A. Flate

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

The distribution of films, specifically independent films, over the Internet often violates the distribution rights of multiterritorially distributed films created before Internet distribution was foreseeable. This article explores the history and development of Internet-distributed entertainment, what Internet distribution means to the independent film industry, how new technology clauses have been interpreted and why Internet distribution requires a fresh construction of these clauses, as well as the role technology plays in preventing problems with Internet distribution. The author poses an equitable solution to make Internet distribution possible and lucrative for all parties under United States and international copyright laws.

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Us Media Law Update, Jonathan Weinberg Jan 2000

Us Media Law Update, Jonathan Weinberg

Law Faculty Research Publications

No abstract provided.

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Bibliography Of Recent Books In Communications Law, Patrick J. Petit Jan 2000

Bibliography Of Recent Books In Communications Law, Patrick J. Petit

CommLaw Conspectus: Journal of Communications Law and Technology Policy (1993-2015)

No abstract provided.

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Reflections On The Fcc's Recent Approach To Structural Regulation Of The Electronic Mass Media, Lili Levi Jan 2000

Reflections On The Fcc's Recent Approach To Structural Regulation Of The Electronic Mass Media, Lili Levi

Articles

No abstract provided.

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International Take-Down Policy: A Proposal For The Wto And Wipo To Establish International Copyright Procedural Guidelines For Internet Service Providers, John T. Soma, Natalie A. Norman Jan 2000

International Take-Down Policy: A Proposal For The Wto And Wipo To Establish International Copyright Procedural Guidelines For Internet Service Providers, John T. Soma, Natalie A. Norman

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

Copyright owners have become increasingly concerned with online copyright infringement by Internet service providers. As a result, lawmakers have attempted to determine the most appropriate mechanism by which to impose third party liability upon these ISPs. The internet makes it extremely difficult to identify online copyright infringement in general, and unfortunately, the task becomes even more difficult in the international context. This paper suggests that a practical solution to the problem might include creating international procedural guidelines, which would provide copyright owners with viable means to protect their rights. The authors compare international standards for ISP liability for third party …

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The Talent Agencies Act: Does One Year Really Mean One Year, Edwin F. Mcpherson Jan 2000

The Talent Agencies Act: Does One Year Really Mean One Year, Edwin F. Mcpherson

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

The issue of whether the one year statute of limitations period mandated by California's Talent Agencies Act really means one year has recently been considered by the California Court of Appeal. In Park v. The Deftones, the court held that the one year limitations period is revived when a manager sues an artist. The same court, in Styne v. Stevens, held that while a lawsuit by a manager revived the statute of limitations, it revived it only for an additional one year period. This paper explores the case of Styne, the scope of the Talent Agencies Act, the jurisdiction of …

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Vice Advertising Under The Supreme Court's Commercial Speech Doctrine: The Shifting Central Hudson Analysis, Michael Hoefges, Milagros Rivera-Sanchez Jan 2000

Vice Advertising Under The Supreme Court's Commercial Speech Doctrine: The Shifting Central Hudson Analysis, Michael Hoefges, Milagros Rivera-Sanchez

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

The extent to which the government should have the ability to regulate "vice" products and activities, such as tobacco, alcohol and gaming, is extremely controversial. This article examines the commercial speech doctrine's "vice" advertising cases from 1986 through 1999 and the Central Hudson analysis. Remarkably, by 1999, the Court appears to have completely reversed its position regarding "vice" advertising, and in fact, it seems to have virtually eliminated the "vice" advertising distinction. As a result, it seems as though equal treatment is required under the First Amendment for all truthful, non-deceptive advertising for lawful products and services. The authors argue …

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Loki Surfs For Porn: An Analysis Of The Discord The Internet May Cause In Obscenity Law, Alison E. Howell Jan 2000

Loki Surfs For Porn: An Analysis Of The Discord The Internet May Cause In Obscenity Law, Alison E. Howell

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

Libraries have been presented with the perplexing problem of whether or not they should be required, or whether they are even allowed, to filter users' access (specifically children's access) to obscene and/or pornographic materials on the Internet. Such access could cause the public to accuse libraries of providing and tolerating obscenity. This note explores the potential chaos that open access to obscene and pornographic material on the internet may bring to the definition of community standards and the hoops that modem e-pornographers must jump through. The author discusses the basics of First Amendment law, analyzes the flaws in these doctrines …

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Investing In China's Telecommunications Market: Reflections On The Rule Of Law And Foreign Investment In China, Leontine D. Chuang Jan 2000

Investing In China's Telecommunications Market: Reflections On The Rule Of Law And Foreign Investment In China, Leontine D. Chuang

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

The lack of clarity in China's investment laws has translated into an investment environment that is often uncertain, risky, and mired in red tape. In fact, there have been cases where foreign corporations have invested in joint ventures following what they thought to be all the requisite guidelines, only to find out after the money had exchanged hands that something was terribly wrong with the entire agreement. A perfect example of this is the birth, development, and eventual demise of the ill-fated China-China-Foreign (hereinafter "CCF") investment vehicles used for investment in China's telecommunications industry in the past few years. This …

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Stop Me If I'Ve Heard This Already: The Temporal Remoteness Aspect Of The Subconscious Copying Doctrine, Joel S. Hollingsworth Jan 2000

Stop Me If I'Ve Heard This Already: The Temporal Remoteness Aspect Of The Subconscious Copying Doctrine, Joel S. Hollingsworth

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

This article examines the temporal remoteness aspect of copyright law's subconscious copying doctrine. Under this doctrine, copyright infringement defendants can be held liable for infringement, even if they believe that they independently created their work, if the defendants had access to the copyrighted work, the works are practically identical, and the degree of temporal remoteness - the time between access and subsequent creation of the infringing work - was low. The author analyzes the evolution of the subconscious copying doctrine from its inception in Fred Fisher, Inc. v. Dillingham to its recent interpretation by the Ninth Circuit in Three Boys …

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Financing Intellectual Property Under Federal Law: A National Imperative, Lorin Brennan Jan 2000

Financing Intellectual Property Under Federal Law: A National Imperative, Lorin Brennan

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

The information industries have become the center of national growth and opportunity. In the new information economy, intellectual property financing has assumed growing importance. This article suggests that area in urgent need of restructuring is secured financing law. Article 9 and the Revised Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code are incapable of effectively financing intellectual property. This article provides a summary of how intellectual property financing works and why it is more efficient to utilize the federal information statute. Additionally, this article provides a detailed description on the law governing the financing of intellectual property. The author argues that …

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Argentina And The Telecommunications Industry: The Difficult But Necessary Path Toward Liberalization, Vanessa P. Rubinstein Jan 2000

Argentina And The Telecommunications Industry: The Difficult But Necessary Path Toward Liberalization, Vanessa P. Rubinstein

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

This article provides a synopsis of Argentina's telecommunications industry and examines the compelling reasons why Argentina must effectively liberalize the industry while eliminating its hidden protectionist policies. Part II presents a historical overview of the Argentina's telecommunications industry and analyzes Argentina's domestic laws requiring liberalization. Part III explores the main economic policy reasons for why liberalization of the Argentine telecommunications industry is essential. Part IV offers recommendations to better achieve effective development, liberalization and competition in the telecommunications industry. This article concludes that Argentina must completely liberalize its telecommunications industry for basic services, thereby abiding by its domestic legal commitments …

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State Ownership Of Copyrights In Primary Law Materials, Irina Y. Dmitrieva Jan 2000

State Ownership Of Copyrights In Primary Law Materials, Irina Y. Dmitrieva

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

Although the Copyright Act of 1976 provides no protection for works of the United States government, no similar prohibition exists for works of state or local governments. Similarly, under principles of international copyright law, works of state governments in the United States are not considered to be within the public domain unless explicitly provided by state statute or through statutory interpretation. Nevertheless, many states post their statutory and legislative materials on the Internet. This article demonstrates that over half of the fifty states provide for state copyright of official statutory compilations, court reports or administrative compilations. The author reviews the …

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Financing Intellectual Property Under Revised Article 9: National And International Conflicts, Lorin Brennan Jan 2000

Financing Intellectual Property Under Revised Article 9: National And International Conflicts, Lorin Brennan

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

The policies underlying the creation and exploitation of intangible intellectual property differ sharply from those for manufacture and sale of tangible goods. Intellectual property law seeks to protect the creditor's ability to benefit by his endeavors; in contrast, laws governing tangible goods are concerned with the transferability and availability of such goods in the interest of efficiency. This paper argues that current laws, such as the recent revision of Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code ("Revised 9"), ignores the concept that effective financing of intellectual property could and should operate in conjunction with state personal property financing laws. The …

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Reporting The Official Truth: The Revival Of The Fcc's News Distortion Policy, Lili Levi Jan 2000

Reporting The Official Truth: The Revival Of The Fcc's News Distortion Policy, Lili Levi

Articles

No abstract provided.

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Telecommunications In The Twenty-First Century: Global Perspectives On Community And Diaspora Among Netcitizens, Madeleine M. Plasencia Jan 2000

Telecommunications In The Twenty-First Century: Global Perspectives On Community And Diaspora Among Netcitizens, Madeleine M. Plasencia

Articles

The Internet brings heady communications opportunities to those who have access to the Internet. Yet, mounting evidence has proven that a gap or divide exists on Internet usage and access. The divide exists within the United States and, increasingly, on a global basis. Part I of this Article introduces the term "digital divide" and explores the deployment of advanced telecommunications in the United States. Part II traces patterns of access to the Internet based on race and income and subordinates the statistical evidence to the realities of lack of access, and lends a human face to contextualize the real losses …

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Aclu V. Reno: Congress Places Speed Bumps On The Information Superhighway, Dharmesh S. Vashee Jan 2000

Aclu V. Reno: Congress Places Speed Bumps On The Information Superhighway, Dharmesh S. Vashee

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

In 1996, Congress passed the Communications Decency Act ("CDA") in an effort to regulate indecent speech on the Internet. Through the CDA, Congress sought to protect children from easily accessible, harmful materials on the Internet. In spirit, the law had noble intentions; however, on its face, the CDA raised serious constitutional questions and was immediately challenged by First Amendment advocates in ACLU v. Reno ("Reno I"). Using broad and vague terms such as "indecent" and "patently offensive," the CDA threatened to restrict adult access to a tremendous amount of speech that was constitutionally protected. Additionally, through the imposition of criminal …

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Defamatory E-Mail And Employer Liability: Why Razing Zeran V. America Online Is A Good Thing, Michael H. Spencer Jan 2000

Defamatory E-Mail And Employer Liability: Why Razing Zeran V. America Online Is A Good Thing, Michael H. Spencer

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

Electronic mail ("e-mail") has taken its place as an integral part of communication in modern society. Unlike other forms of communication, e-mail can cheaply and efficiently be placed in a public domain for literally the world to see. These public areas, otherwise known as bulletin boards, have expanded society's ability to communicate over vast distances. Individuals or groups can also engage in mass communication, which involves a myriad of topics and concerns. Nevertheless, such electronic communications, as almost any other form of communication, can become volatile and create animosity among users. Hence, many of the remarks made in such exchanges …

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The Unfinished Business Of Breaking Up "Ma Bell:" Implementing Local Telephone Competition In The Twenty-First Century, Michael T. Osbourne Jan 2000

The Unfinished Business Of Breaking Up "Ma Bell:" Implementing Local Telephone Competition In The Twenty-First Century, Michael T. Osbourne

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

Responding to the statutory deadline in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released its first Local Competition Order (LCO), In Re Implementation of the Local Competition Provisions in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, First Report and Order, CC Docket No. 96-98 (FCC 96-325), on August 8, 1996. Designed to implement local competition nationwide, this Order in nearly 1500 pages promulgated detailed provisions regarding the relationship between the Regional Bell Operating Companies ("RBOCs") (traditional monopoly providers of local telephone service) and new entrants in local telecommunications. This article focuses on several key provisions in the first LCO …

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Parental Liability And The Criminal Misconduct Of Children In The Wake Of An Unregulated Internet: Who Should Pay?, Katherine R. Richardson Jan 2000

Parental Liability And The Criminal Misconduct Of Children In The Wake Of An Unregulated Internet: Who Should Pay?, Katherine R. Richardson

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The note examines the legal and practical challenges of holding parents accountable for their children's criminal acts, particularly when influenced by internet content. It questions the effectiveness of parental liability laws and highlights the tension between child protection, parental rights, and internet regulation. While acknowledging the complexity of these issues, the note suggests that parental liability should only apply when a clear causal link exists between negligence and harm, though proving such a link is legally challenging. Ultimately, the analysis advocates for a nuanced approach to balancing these competing interests.

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University Of Richmond Law Review Jan 2000

University Of Richmond Law Review

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

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Complexity And Copyright In Contradiction, Michael J. Madison Jan 2000

Complexity And Copyright In Contradiction, Michael J. Madison

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

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Pay For Play: An Old Tactic In A New Environment, Douglas Abell Jan 2000

Pay For Play: An Old Tactic In A New Environment, Douglas Abell

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Promotional strategies involving payola --the payment of cash, drugs, or any other consideration to radio stations and their employees in exchange for airplay-- are generally illegal under federal law. Theoretically, these laws prohibit only undisclosed payola practices. Payola scandals of the late 1980s, however, illustrate that such practices have not ended. In fact, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the "Act") created an environment in which pay-for-play, a disclosed and fully legal form of payola, could thrive. The possibility of returning to practices reminiscent of illegal payola has, however, sparked debate as to whether record labels should ever pay radio stations …

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Polish Communications Law: Telecommunications Takes Off In Transition Countries But At What Price Are They Becoming Wired?, Jennifer L. Feltham Jan 2000

Polish Communications Law: Telecommunications Takes Off In Transition Countries But At What Price Are They Becoming Wired?, Jennifer L. Feltham

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Internationally, the urge to expand and improve telecommunications services is spreading. Transition countries, attempting the leap from Third World status to becoming world leaders, have caught the fever and have attempted to reform their regulations governing telecommunications. In large part these laws have induced slow liberalization of the communications sector with an intrusive regulatory agency guarding every step taken towards privatization. The World Trade Organization's General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) encourages transition countries to use privatization as a way to increase funding for communications equipment. Many transition countries signed the GATS agreement in the hope of attracting international …

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Paradigm Changes In Telecommunications Regulation, Phil Weiser Jan 2000

Paradigm Changes In Telecommunications Regulation, Phil Weiser

Publications

No abstract provided.

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A Proposal For A New Massachusetts Notoriety For Profit Law: The Grandson Of Sam, Sean J. Kealy Jan 2000

A Proposal For A New Massachusetts Notoriety For Profit Law: The Grandson Of Sam, Sean J. Kealy

Faculty Scholarship

In recent years, two women stood convicted of highly publicized major crimes in Massachusetts. Katherine Ann Power ("Power") was a fugitive who committed felony-murder in 1970. She led a life on the run as a fugitive until 1993 when she revealed her true identity and surrendered to authorities to face the consequences of her crimes. Louise Woodward ("Woodward"), an au pair originally from England, gained notoriety on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean when she was convicted of killing the baby entrusted to her care. Both women captured the attention of the national media for months and reportedly had opportunities …

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