Handbook home
Media Law (LAWS50096)
Graduate coursework level 5Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | Semester 2 |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject examines the core legal constraints imposed on the media in their publishing activities. The first part of the course requires students to analyse and evaluate broad principles relating to freedom of speech and public interest and their application to the media. It also examines the greater role that the legal protection of human rights, especially in the international context, has played in the development of media law. The second part of the course explores the constraints that are imposed on the media in their reporting of court proceedings, including contempt of court and the issuing of suppression orders by the courts. The third part of the course comprises a comparative, in-depth examination of the law of defamation across Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. It also draws on case studies from other jurisdictions, such as Canada and South Africa. The final part of the course looks at privacy and the media. It considers the current state of privacy protection in Australia, and requires students to undertake a critical, comparative analysis of the position in Australia and recent developments in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject will:
- Have a detailed and sophisticated understanding of the general principles governing freedom of speech, the public interest and the media;
- have a detailed, technical and specialised understanding of the constraints imposed on the media in the reporting of court proceedings;
- have developed expert knowledge of the practical operation of the law of contempt of court in Australia;
- have a detailed, technical and specialised understanding of defamation law in Australia and comparatively;
- have developed expert knowledge of the practical operation of defamation law in Australia and comparatively;
- have a detailed, technical and specialised understanding of privacy law in Australia and comparatively;
- have developed expert knowledge of the practical operation of privacy law in Australia and comparatively;
- have developed the ability to independently understand, research and critically analyse legal and scholarly developments that contribute to professional practice in the area of media law; and
- have developed the ability to communicate their analysis of the law and its application to specialist and non-specialist audiences in appropriate scholarly and professional formats.
Generic skills
On completion of the subject students should have developed the following skills:
- Mastery of the principal areas of media law (such as defamation, contempt, privacy and freedom of speech) as well as associated theoretical material;
- expert, specialised cognitive and technical skills for critical and independent thought and reflection in the area of media law and practice;
- mastery of technical research skills relevant to media law;
- expert, specialised cognitive, creative and technical skills to solve problems, including through the critical evaluation of research relevant to the area of media law and practice; and
- the ability to expertly communicate specialised and complex information, ideas, concepts and theories relevant to media law and practice.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Successful completion of all the below subjects:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS50023 | Legal Method and Reasoning |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
April (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50024 | Principles of Public Law |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
June (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50026 | Obligations |
May (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50025 | Torts |
November (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
Students who have completed any of the below subjects are not permitted to take LAWS50096 Media Law:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS70181 | Defamation Law | Not available in 2024 |
12.5 |
LAWS70082 | Privacy Law | September (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70184 | Media, Free Speech and the State | Not available in 2024 |
12.5 |
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Examination (open book)
| During the examination period | 100% |
Additional details
The due dates of the above assessment will be available to students via the Assessment Schedule on the LMS Community.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator Jason Bosland Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 36 hours Total time commitment 144 hours Teaching period 3 August 2020 to 1 November 2020 Last self-enrol date 14 August 2020 Census date 21 September 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 16 October 2020 Assessment period ends 27 November 2020
Additional delivery details
This subject has an enrolment quota of 60 students.
Enrolments occur on a first come, first served basis up to quota, except for the timely re-enrolment period. Timely enrolments enter a selection process, and unsuccessful enrolments are withdrawn.
Please refer to the Melbourne Law School website for further information about the management of subject quotas.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Specialist materials will be made available via the LMS.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Juris Doctor - Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022