Media Law

• • Media Law in the Web 2.0 era
  • Free expression and mindful practice
  • Legal and regulatory systems and principles
  • Open justice and freedom of information
  • Contempt of court
  • Identifying defamation
  • Defending defamation
  • Keeping secrets: confidentiality and sources
  • Anti-terrorism and hate laws
  • Intellectual property: protecting your work and using the work of others
  • Privacy
  • The law of public relations, freelancing and new media entrepreneurship

Equivalent subjects

You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:

• GRF-CMM26-Media Law (No longer available)

Others

Level 2 subjects normally assume an introductory level of prior knowledge in this area, e.g. from studying related Level 1 subjects or other relevant experience.

Additional requirements

No additional requirements

Learn about legal issues relevant to professional communicators in the online era.

This subject provides an overview of legal constraints on public communication, along with an outline of law as it impacts on the Australian media and social media environment. Topics include free expression, open justice, defamation, contempt of court, publication restrictions, privacy, confidentiality, defamation, hate speech, national security laws and copyright within the context of an information society. It also addresses some key communication business laws affecting freelancers, public relations practitioners and new media entrepreneurs. 

PLEASE NOTE: Media Law is taught in a full 12 week teaching mode in Study Session 1 each year. It is taught in an intensive six week teaching mode in Study Session 3, with students having the remaining six weeks to prepare for their final assessment.

• Essay/Law Reform Submission (40%)
• Final Quiz (10%)
• Final Take Home Assignment (50%)

For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).