LT237-5-FY-CO:
Advanced Media Law and Ethics
2024/25
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Thursday 03 October 2024
Friday 27 June 2025
30
08 May 2024
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA P500 Multimedia Journalism,
BA P501 Multimedia Journalism (Including Year Abroad),
BA P503 Multimedia Journalism (Including Placement Year)
In this module, you will complete your studies (begun in Year 1) of the principal areas of the law relating to journalism and prepare for the NCTJ examinations in Essential Media Law and Regulation (EMLR), Court Reporting (MLCR) and Broadcast Regulation (BReg).
You will also expand your exploration of the wider constraints affecting journalism, voluntary and otherwise. These include the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, the Editors' Code of Practice and other expressions of responsible, ethical practice.
The aims of this module are:
- To build and consolidate your knowledge of the legal system to the point at which you are able to successfully sit the NCTJ Essential Media Law, Court Reporting and Broadcast Regulation national exams.
- To build your knowledge of responsible and ethical behaviour, such that you are capable of making good editorial decisions when faced with legal, moral or other challenges, both in a legal context and beyond.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Critically analyse the evolving landscape of media law and its implications for journalistic freedom.
- Assess the role of media regulatory bodies in shaping journalism practice and appraise the impact of regulatory mechanisms enforcing journalistic standards.
- Exhibit advanced skills in conducting research and synthesis of media law sources to support journalistic decision-making, incl. precedents and other authoritative legal sources.
- Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of court reporting, including justifying reporting constraints and advancing reasons for journalists to challenge invalid reporting restrictions.
As with your first-year Media Law studies, the syllabus is based on the key text in this area:
M Hanna & M Dodd, McNae’s Essential Law for Journalists (25th edn, OUP 2020)
The subjects covered include:
- contempt;
- anonymity (on grounds of ethics, age, sexual offences or jigsaw identification among others);
- accuracy;
- defamation;
- copyright;
- confidentiality;
- disclosure of sources;
- privacy;
- other ethical and regulatory considerations;
- filming in public places;
- status, responsibilities, powers of media regulatory bodies, all forms of reporting restrictions, codes of practice and broadcasting codes.
Anticipated teaching delivery:
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
In-class Test: Court Reporting (Week 7) |
11/11/2024 |
25% |
| Coursework |
In-class Test: Essential Media Law & Regulation (Week 18) |
27/01/2025 |
25% |
| Coursework |
In-class Test: Broadcast Regulation (Week 23) |
03/03/2025 |
25% |
| Coursework |
Regulator Draft Adjudication Exercise - 1,500 words (Week 30) |
23/04/2025 |
25% |
Additional coursework information
a04 (‘Regulator Draft Adjudication Exercise’) will require students to assume the role of a media regulator panel member and craft an adjudication addressing a fictional complaint, drawing upon pertinent regulatory codes (broadcasting or press).
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
No
No
Yes
Prof Jairo Alfonso Lugo-Ocando
College of Communication, University of Sharjah, UAE
Dean and Professor of Journalism
Available via Moodle
Of 14 hours, 12 (85.7%) hours available to students:
2 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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