electiveHQ

This course deals with the main areas of law which affect the daily working of all media - the law of defamation, the law of contempt of court and the legal protection of privacy and confidential information and broadcasting and press regulation. It examines those principles and rules of defamation law that are specifically relevant to media defendants and principally the defences upon which such defendants may rely, taking a comparative approach, which is reflected in the assessment for this part of the module. The examination of the law of contempt of court and privacy is similarly focused on those aspects which relate to journalists, editors, publishers and broadcasters. In each area covered, there is an examination of the remedies available and of the relevant practice and procedure. The first half of the course, dealing with defamation, takes an approach which strongly emphasizes the comparison of the law in these areas across the common law world as a whole (apart, by in large, from the United States of America.) In 2021/22 the module will be assessed by an essay outline (750 word limit, due Week 4) 20%, a final essay (2,000 word limit, due Week 12), 80%. There will be no end-of-semester examination. Students may not register for this module without having completed or being currently registered for LAW10060 - Constitutional Rights and LAW10200 - Nominate Torts.