MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Media & Entertainment
Mass Media and National Security
Jour/EMC 4700
Fall 2024
Tuesday & Thursday 9:40-11:05
Bragg 104

Dr. Burriss is a professor in the School of Journalism and Strategic Media. He is a past president of the MTSU Faculty Senate and former member of the Tennessee Board of Regents. He has served as dean of the College of Mass Communication (now College of Media & Entertainment), chairman of the Department of Journalism, director of the School of Journalism (now School of Journalism and Strategic Media) and director of graduate studies.

He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from The Ohio State University, where he majored in broadcast journalism. He also has a master's degree in human relations from the University of Oklahoma.

Dr. Burriss received his Ph.D. in communication from Ohio University, where he minored in law, and his law degree from Concord Law School.

He is particularly interested in issues dealing with government-media relations.

Dr. Burriss has worked in both print and broadcast news, as well as in public relations. He has published extensively in professional research journals and in popular magazines, and is the co-author of two books. He has won numerous awards for both writing and work with new technologies.

He was a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force, and served in Mali, Bosnia, Somalia, Central America, England, Germany and the Pentagon.

Dr. Burriss enjoys travel, reading, and at one time was ranked 3rd in the Tennessee Division, American Fencing Association.

COURSE CONTENT AND GOALS

The major goals of this course are to help students understand (1) the historical background of the conflict between the public's "right to know," and the government's obligation to protect the nation, (2) how the government and media interact in relation to national security issues, (3) the legal issues involved in this interaction, and (4) the roles of reporters and public affairs officers in coverage of the "alphabet-soup agencies" such as the DoD, CIA, NSA, DoJ, etc.

Our basic assumption here is NOT that the media and the government are natural enemies, but rather that both have different roles to play in insuring the security of the nation.

IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ATTEND CLASS, TAKE NOTES, STUDY THE TEXT AND HANDOUTS, ETC. IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO SEE THAT THE MATERIAL IS PRESENTED IN A COHERENT, INTERESTING MANNER. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE MATERIAL.

It would be a serious misunderstanding of the intent of the instructor to assume that because a tape or film is being shown that no important material is being presented. Quite the contrary is true.

COURSE PROCEDURE

Discussion of assigned reading topics will be featured in class. I do not lecture from the text. Active class participation is urged to the maximum extent possible. Regular attendance is expected--if you aren't here you can't gain anything.

As you are probably aware, national security issues are an important part of the daily news. So although the syllabus below contains general topics, in many ways this is a course in current events. So don't be surprised if, in the middle of a scheduled topic, we begin a discussion of a current issue or topic, and then relate that back to the syllabus. Further, the discussion will probably bounce back and forth between the news media on one side, and the government on the other.

Your fellow students and I will be concerned, possibly insulted, if you do not take part in the conversations we will be having. Treat this class as if were a job. You wouldn't think of cutting a day of work without a good reason and without calling in ahead of time with a reasonable explanation (I always liked the phrase, "No show, no call . . . no job."). I and your classmates deserve the same courtesy. "I had to miss our class because I have a test tomorrow in physics, and I needed the time to study," is NOT a valid excuse.

Giving make-up assignments is unfair to your classmates who came to class prepared by having read the assigned materials and prepared various exercises. In general, life's rewards go to those who get their work done on time. In this light, no assignments may be made up unless you can document, to the satisfaction of the instructor, that your absence was due to personal illness or death in the immediate family. Any make-up work will be more difficult than the original assigned material.

One thing we will need to be careful of is that the class not turn into a course simply dealing with propaganda. Rather, the focus will be on how the media fit into the national security process (including, but not limited to, propaganda). We also need to make sure it doesn't turn into a course that simply looks at how the DOD, CIA, FBI, etc. have been portrayed in movies and on television. I don't anticipate much, if any, discussion of Tom Clancy novels, or movies such as "Top Gun," "Crimson Tide," "Zero Dark Thirty," etc. The security review process and interactions between Hollywood and the government will certainly be a point of discussion, but not just a discussion that focuses on cinematic technical details, character development, etc.

We won't be spending any time on conspiracy theories unless a valid, direct connection with the national security process and the media can be made. No discussions of the Kennedy assassination, UFO's, black helicopters, tracking devices in 20-dollar bills, Denver International Airport, etc., unless you can find valid documentation of a national security/media connection (did CBS find out how John Kennedy was killed and the CIA asked them not to run the story?). If you can find the operational plan that proves Denver International Airport is really a UFO landing site and show how the story is still being covered up by Fox News and the New York Times, you'll probably get an "A" in the class!! Bring a reporter who covered up the story in to talk to the class and I'll give you extra credit. Little or no discussion of Art Bell, George Noory or Ed Danes.

"Wait a minute," you may be saying. "This is a mass media class, and you're not going to let us discuss how the government is hiding that military base on the moon? Isn't that a national security issue?" Well, yes it is, but read the above paragraph again. It mentions "valid documentation." That means, for example, an article in The New York Times or a government document that can be verified by the appropriate agency. So we'll discuss MJ-12, but only if you can get a current government official to go on the record.

We will watch several videos during the class. These will deal with specific incidents involving the media and national security, seminars that involved role playing situations, etc.

NOTICE

By enrolling in this course, you are indicating your recognition and acceptance of your responsibility to read, understand and meet the course requirements set forth, both in written and spoken form, and that you will not be exempted from these requirements because of ignorance, negligence or contradictory advice from any source.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Regular attendance and participation
2. FOI request from any federal agency (Sample letters) Due: TBA
3. Privacy Act request from any federal agency. A sample FBI letter can be found here. Instructions for requesting information from the CIA are here. Due: TBA
4. Two exams
Exam #1 (TBA)
Exam #2 (Tuesday, Dec. 12, 10:00-12:00)
5. Term project (here are some ideas) Due: TBA
6. Other projects as assigned

We will discuss the projects and assignments in class, but here is a start:
1. I would make the FOI request and the term paper deal with the same topic.
2. As noted above, simply reviewing a movie, book or television program about the DoD, FBI, CIA, etc., is not a good topic. A paper dealing with the security review process a movie producer went through would be a good topic. Try to focus on the national security procedures as they relate to media. What are the government/media interactions?
3. I am a firm believer in the sayings, "Document or die!"; and "substantiate, validate, corroborate." In other words, you will be expected to find real documents to support your projects

GRADE DETERMINATION

Class Participation 1/5. Note: A letter grade will be deducted for every three absences.
FOI Request 1/5
Privacy Act Request 1/5
Exam Average 1/5
Term Project 1/5
We will NOT be using +/- grades.

Please note that part of any job is getting the job done correctly. Therefore, points will be deducted for incorrectly submitted/completed exams, projects, FOI/Privacy Act requests.

NOTICE TO LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

To retain Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship (TELS) eligibility, you must earn a cumulative TELS GPA of 2.75 after 24 and 48 attempted hours and a cumulative TELS GPA of 3.0 thereafter. You may qualify with a 2.75 cumulative GPA after 72 attempted hours (and subsequent semesters), if you are enrolled full-time and maintain a semester GPA of at least 3.0. A grade of C, D, F, FA, or I in this class may negatively impact TELS eligibility. Dropping or stopping attendance in a class after 14 days may also impact eligibility; if you withdraw from or stop attending this class and it results in an enrollment status of less than full time, you may lose eligibility for your lottery scholarship. Lottery recipients are eligible to receive the scholarship for a maximum of five years from the date of initial enrollment, or until reaching 120 TELS attempted hours or earning a bachelor degree.

For additional Lottery rules, please refer to your Lottery Statement of Understanding form, or contact the Financial Aid Office at 898-2830.

FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)

In general, under FERPA I am not permitted to disclose your academic progress to anyone not allowed to receive such information. Thus I cannot discuss your academic progress, grades, etc., over the phone or via e-mail. All such discussions must be in person. At the end of the semester I cannot disclose your final grade over the phone or via e-mail. Nor can I post your grades on my door. You will receive your final grades via PIPELINEMT or WEBMT. Additionally I cannot access your grades if you have a hold on your records. Please note that all faculty and staff must use their MTSU e-mail accounts when communicating with a student via e-mail. In addition, faculty and staff must send the e-mail to a student's MTSU-assigned e-mail account, rather than to a personal account such as G-Mail or HotMail. Faculty and staff cannot send educational data to or from a non-institutional e-mail account.

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

Middle Tennessee State University takes a strong stance against academic misconduct. Academic Misconduct includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, and fabrication. For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: Academic Misconduct: Plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, or facilitating any such act.

(1) Plagiarism: The adoption or reproduction of ideas, words, statements, images, or works of another person as one's own without proper attribution. This includes self-plagiarism, which occurs when an author submits material or research from a previous academic exercise to satisfy the requirements of another exercise and uses it without proper citation of its reuse.

(2) Cheating: Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise. This includes unapproved collaboration, which occurs when a student works with others on an academic exercise without the express permission of the professor. The term academic exercise includes all forms of work submitted for credit or hours.

(3) Fabrication: Unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise. To be clear: going online and taking information without proper citations, copying parts of other student's work, creating information for the purposes of making your paper seem more official, or anything involving taking someone else's thoughts or ideas without proper attribution is academic misconduct. If you work together on an assignment when it is not allowed, it is academic misconduct.

If you have a question about an assignment, please see me for clarification. Any cases of academic misconduct will be reported to the Office of Academic Affairs for violating the academic honesty requirements in the student handbook. They will also result in failure for the course.

Remember,ignorance is NOT a defense.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

If you have a disability that may require assistance or accommodation, or if you have a question related to any accommodations for testing, note takers, readers, etc., please speak with me as soon as possible. Students may also contact the Disability and Access Center (898-2783) with questions about such services.

DISCLAIMER OF LEGAL ADVICE

This course and its associated web site, readings, exercises, notes, etc., are designed to provide classroom instruction in an area that has numerous legal considerations. However, the materials related to the course were not necessarily prepared by persons licensed to practice law in a particular jurisdiction. Those persons directly connected with the preparation of this web site and delivery of course content are not engaged in the practice of law or in rendering legal or other professional advice, and this course and web site are not substitutes for the advice of an attorney. If you require legal or other expert advice, you should seek the services of a competent attorney or other professional. This document and related course materials provide information about mass media and national security law in the United States. However, legal information is not the same as legal advice, which is the application of relevant laws to particular circumstances. Although we strive to provide accurate and useful information, you should consult a lawyer if you want or need specific legal advice about a particular situation.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

This page made with 100% recycled electrons.

DISCUSSION, DEBATE, DIVERSITY

MTSU comprises students, faculty and staff from a variety of diverse backgrounds. Please be mindful and respectful of these differences, but also recognize that debate and discussion on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open, and that the debate and discussion may well be vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasant. To quote one of my favorite philosophers, Lt. Nyota Uhura of the Starship Enterprise, "We've learned not to fear words."

USEFUL SITES

In addition to the reading lists below, the following sites will prove useful as you prepare for class discussions and work on your projects.

The MTSU library has recently added a newspaper archive, with access to several thousand newspapers, both historic and current. I'll leave it to you to find this interesting database resource.

The New York Times Academic Pass
ACLU
Library of Congress Sunshine in Government Initiative
Security Studies, Georgetown University
DoD Websites
Department of Homeland Security Websites

TENTATIVE READING AND DISCUSSION SCHEDULE

1. This schedule, including exam dates, may be adjusted to fit the needs of speakers, availability of films, legal developments related to media/national security, etc.

2. You will need Adobe Reader installed on your computer to read some of the documents below.

History and Background
Week 1-3

Congressional Research Service, "Defense Primer: A Guide for New Members [of Congress]," April 17. 2020
Congresional Research Service. "Defense Primer: Command and Control of Nuclear Forces," May 16, 2024Dec. 1, 2016
Department of Defense, "The Nuclear Matters Handbook, 2020 [Revised}
Sinai, Karen C. "Shock and Awe: Does the First Amendment Protect a Media Right of Access to Military Operations? 22 Cardoza Arts & Ent LJ 179 (2004)
Westover, David. "A Brief History of US International Radio Broadcasting and War: From the Voice of America to Radio Tikrit"

The Freedom of Information Act
Week 4-5

Department of Justice Guide to the Freedom of Information Act
Freedom of Information Act Reference Guide - DoJ
Freedom of Information Act - DoD
Electronic Reading Room - CIA
Freedom of Information Act - NSA
FOI for Pros: A Step-by-Step Guide
Uhl, Kristen Elizabeth. The Freedom of Information Act Post-9/11: Balancing the Public's Right to Know, Critical Infrastructure Protection, and Homeland Security, 53 Am. U. L. Rev. 261 (2003)

The Classification System
Week 6-7

CONPLAN 8888: Counter-Zombie Dominance

Legal Issues
Week 8-9

18 USC 794, Gathering, transmitting, or losing defense information
18 USC 794, Gathering or delivering defense information to aid foreign government
New York Times v. United States, 403 US 713 (1971)
United States v. Marchetti, 466 F.2d 1309 (1972)
Phillippi v. CIA, 178 US App. D.C. 243 (1976)
United States v. Progressive, 467 F. Supp. 990 (1979)
Morland v. Sprecher, 443 US 709 (1979)
Snepp v. United States, 444 US 507 (1980)
United States v. Morison, 604 F. Supp. 655 (1985)
Nation Magazine v. Department of Defense, 762 F. Supp. 1558 (1991)
Flynt v. Rumsfeld, 359 US App. DC 402 (2004)
Spies? Reporters? Whistleblowers? Patriots? Traitors? (Daniel Ellsberg, Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, Samuel Morrison, Stephen Jin-Woo Kim, Jeffrey Sterling, James Risen)

National Security, Civil Liberties and the Patriot Act
Week 10-11

The Day-to-Day Business of Mass Media and National Security:
Reporters and Public Affairs Officers.
Week 12-14

A Small Sampling of Videos we May Use in Class

capone.mtsu.edu/lburriss