David J. Weinert, PhD (Penn State, University Park), is a scholar of the First Amendment and communication/media law, and eminent major-market radio on-air talent and voice-over artist. With more than 24 years of faculty and administrative experience at the university level, Weinert’s academic research, published in law review journals, focuses on First Amendment issues, free speech, and Federal Communications Commission regulation of radio and television broadcast content. Along with more than 175 total (15-week) courses taught, proven teaching effectiveness at the University of Miami, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Syracuse University, Penn State University Park (including special recognition by the Penn State University Park President for teaching excellence), the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, and the University of Detroit Mercy, his university, academic department, and service to the profession successes include serving as Chair and Communications Director/Newsletter Editor/Website Manager, of the Law and Policy Division, for the Broadcast Education Association, Volunteer Legal Advisor to the Student Press Law Center, helping revise academic department curriculum, implementation of new courses, student recruitment, spearheading a new internship program for students, research, installation and integration of new state-of-the-art Pro Tools audio and Avid video nonlinear editing labs, fiscal budget management, online teaching (Canvas, Blackboard, Angel, Sakai, and Desire2Learn Brightspace), service on new tenure-stream search committees, consulting for local print media. Weinert is a member of the American Association for University Professors, American Bar Association Forum on Communications Law, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Law and Policy Division, Broadcast Education Association Law and Policy Division, and Media Law Resource Center. In addition, he has more than 12 years of commercial radio broadcasting experience. His private sector achievements include hosting daily full-time commercial radio shows at CBS in Los Angeles (KCBS-FM), various radio stations in Detroit, launching marketing and promotional campaigns, thousands of public appearances and presentations, working with community organizations and constituents, managing employees, multiplying audience size, increasing revenue streams, and adhering to fiscal budgets.
Academic Associations:
American Association of University Professors
American Bar Association, Forum on Communications Law
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
Broadcast Education Association, Law and Policy Division
Media Law Resource Center
Fun Facts:
When Weinert did his full-time radio show at KCBS-FM/Los Angeles, Charlie Sheen and Jay Leno were regular callers to his radio show. And at WWBR-FM/Detroit, he worked with musical recording artist Ted Nugent.
Weinert is from Detroit, Michigan (the Motor City), and currently resides in Brickell.
Courses Taught
COM 250 Freedom of Expression
JMM 303 Communication Law & Policy
JMM 305 Legal Issues in Media Management
JMM 614 Law in Journalism & Media Management
Research Interests
First Amendment; free speech; Federal Communications Commission regulation of radio and television broadcast content; the 1996 Telecommunications Act, its overall effects on commercial radio programming, on-air staff employment, and licensee public interest obligations; college and university campus free speech issues; privacy issues created by unutterable advances in technology; free speech within the workplace.
Featured Publications
Robert D. Richards & David J. Weinert, Punting in the First Amendment’s Red Zone: The Supreme Court’s “Indecision” on the FCC’s Indecency Regulations Leave Broadcasters Still Searching for Answers, 76 Albany Law Review 631 (2013).