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Media Law (LAWS50096)
Graduate coursework level 5Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
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 subject 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 subject 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 subject 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 subject 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.
- The ability to expertly communicate specialised and complex information, ideas, concepts and theories relevant to media law and practice.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
All of
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS50023 | Legal Method and Reasoning | Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50024 | Principles of Public Law | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50025 | Torts | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50026 | Obligations | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS70082 | Privacy Law |
March (Online)
September (Online)
|
12.5 |
LAWS70181 | Defamation Law | November (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70184 | Criminalising Speech in the Internet Age | December (On Campus - Parkville) |
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: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Take home examination
| During the examination period | 100% |
Additional details
The due date of the above assessment(s) will be available to students via the Assessment Schedule on the LMS Community.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator Jason Bosland Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 144 hours Teaching period 24 July 2023 to 22 October 2023 Last self-enrol date 4 August 2023 Census date 31 August 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 22 September 2023 Assessment period ends 17 November 2023
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
This subject has an enrolment quota of 60 students.
All timely JD elective enrolments are subject to a selection process, which the Academic Support Office will perform after the timely re-enrolment period ends. Late self-enrolment is on a first-in basis up to quota.
Please refer to the Melbourne Law School website for further information about the management of subject quotas.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
- David Rolph, Matt Vitins, Judith Bannister, Daniel Joyce, Jason Bosland, Michael Douglas, Jonathan Gill, Media Law: Cases, Materials and Commentary (Oxford University Press, 3rd ed, 2022); and
- 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: 31 January 2024