John Watson Associate Professor Journalism
- Degrees
- Ph.D. Mass Communication, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill; J.D. Rutgers School of Law - Newark; B.A. Journalism, Rutgers University - New Brunswick
- Bio
- John C. Watson is an associate professor tenured in the Journalism Division. He brings a combination of professional experience and scholarly credentials to the classroom. A journalist for 21 years, he has a law degree and a Ph.D. His research on media law and journalism ethics has been has been presented at scholarly conferences and published in law reviews and refereed scholarly journals. He is the author of the 2008 bookJournalism Ethics by Court Decree< He advocates for the formal professionalization and licensing of journalists to provide professional responsibilities and privileges that distinguish them from other mass media content providers.
- For the Media
- To request an interview for a news story, call ĢƵ Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.
Teaching
Summer 2024
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COMM-601 Communication Law
Fall 2024
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COMM-401 Communication Law
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COMM-401 Communication Law
Spring 2025
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COMM-401 Communication Law
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COMM-601 Communication Law
Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities
Selected Publications
- Journalism Ethics By Court Decree: The Supreme Court on the Proper Practice of Journalism (LFB Scholarly Publishing 2008)
- “Justice in the Spotlight” symposium presentation on high-profile trials Published in the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review Vol. 21, No. 3 (2004)
- “Times v. Sullivan: Landmark or Land Mine on the Road to Ethical Journalism” Published in Journal of Mass Media Ethics Vol.17, No.1 (2002)
- “Litigation Public Relations: The Lawyers’ Duty to Balance News Coverage of their Clients”Published in Communication Law and Policy Vol. 7, No. 1 (2002)
- “Defamation by Racial Misidentification: A Legal History of Public Exposure to Hatred and Contempt in the South” Published in Rutgers Race & The Law Review Vol. 4, No. 1 (2002)
- “Free Speech / Free Press: What the First Amendment Really Means” Multi-media presentation available at ()
Honors, Awards, and Fellowships
- Freedom Forum Ph.D. Fellowship 1996 (University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill)
Media Appearances
- Interview with Times-Picayunne newspaper on worth of composite sketches distributed by police to capture crime suspects. January 2009
- Interview with CNN.com about burgeoning practice in newspapers and other mass media of publishing mugshots of minor crime suspects and celebrities. December 2008
- Interview with BBCMundo.com about the “Bradley Effect” in U.S. presidential election. October 2008
- Interview for Marketplace/NPR radio news program on “libel tourism”-- libel plaintiffs filing lawsuits in countries that do not provide the same level of protection for journalists as the United States. July 2008
- Interviewed for CBS Television affiliate in Washington, D.C. about the factual fabrications discovered in book touted by Oprah Winfrey. January 2006
- Interview for Agence France-Presse, “Jail for Journalists Sparks Fears for U.S. Press Freedoms” Addressed issues raised American journalists who faced jail for refusing to reveal confidential sources to government in Valerie Plame case. July 2005
- Interview for Washington Post Sunday magazine addressing college student complaints about grading. “A’s for Everyone” by Alicia C. Shepard, June 5, 2005
Research Interests
- Survey for Journalists of Color: Emissary book project 2010
- How the law protects and restricts the practice of journalism
- The importance of ethical decision making as an essential and fundamental journalism skill
- Reaffirming the mission and importance of journalism in a properly functioning democracy
- Newsroom diversity as an ethical, financial and political issue
- The need for more extensive and better informed news coverage of the justice system
Professional Presentations
- Research paper titled “Publishing Composite Sketches in the News Media:An Ethical Assessment” presented at the annual conference of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics. February 2008, in San Antonio, Texas.
Work In Progress
- Book tentatively titled “Emissary: The Roles and Missions of Journalists of Color in Post-Racial America”
ĢƵ Experts
Area of Expertise
Journalism ethics, communication law, newsroom diversity, libel, free speech, First Amendment theory, urban issues coverage, privacy, indecency and obscenity, censorship, press coverage of trials and the law, police sketches, racial profiling
Additional Information
John C. Watson was a top-five finalist for the Scripps Howard Foundation Journalism Teacher of the Year Award (2009) and is the author of the chapter on regulating pornography in Communication and the Law (Edited by W. Wat Hopkins, 2010). His book Journalism Ethics by Court Decree(2008) examines how court rulings are defining the practice of journalism. He is researching the merits of licensing journalists, is coauthor of a forthcoming book that examines the changing role of journalists of color, and has conducted a study that questions the ethics of using police sketches of crime suspects in the news media. He has written "Litigation Public Relations: The Lawyers' Duty to Balance News Coverage of Their Clients" (Communication Law and Policy ); "Defamation by Racial Misidentification: A Study of the Social Tort" (Rutgers Race and the Law Review); "Times v. Sullivan: Landmark or Land Mine on the Road to Ethical Journalism?" (Journal of Mass Media Ethics); and was coauthor of "Herman Lynn Womack: Pornographer as First Amendment Pioneer" (Journalism History).
For the Media
To request an interview for a news story, call ĢƵ Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.