JJUA55186U European Media Law - NOTE: THE COURSE IS CANCELLED IN THE SPRING SEMESTER 2018
The course aims at developing knowledge and understanding regarding law and regulations about media, journalism, public communication and freedom of expression in a European and comparative perspective.
The course focuses on right to freedom of communication and the most important restrictions on content, such as hate speech, racism and incitement to violence, libel and defamation, disrespecting privacy or confidentiality. Regulation of court and crime reporting is analysed, as well as specific journalists’ rights such as the protection of journalistic sources. The protection of children’s interests is another issue of particular attention.
The central theme is the balancing of freedom of expression and other human rights and interests. Studies will be conducted regarding civil and criminal liability, censorship and prior classification of content, broadcasting law and regulation of audiovisual media services, advertising regulation, freedom of political and artistic expression, freedom of expression and anti-terror policy, responsible journalism, freedom of expression on internet, freedom of expression for lawyers, whistleblowing and the right of access to official documents.
The analysis of the Strasbourg Court’s case law will make the students aware of some specific media law issues and characteristics in other EU-member States and in other member states of the Council of Europe.
The course also analyses EU-law: such as the Audiovisual Media
Services Directive, the E-Commerce Directive (liability of ISP’s
for illegal content), the Directive on Copyright in the Information
Society (from the perspective of the “free flow of information”)
and the Personal Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (in relation
to journalism and freedom of expression and
information).
- Analyse the characteristics of national and
international media law and a profound understanding of the
relevant case law of the European Court of Human Rights.
- Put into perspective the case law of the European Court
of Human Rights with regard to freedom of expression and media
regulation.
- Compare the reasoning of the European Court with the
characteristics of national law and jurisprudence.
- Discuss the importance of freedom of expression in a
democratic society and put into perspective the interdependent but
also the ambiguous relation between freedom of expression and other
human rights.
- Explain the margin of appreciation in legitimizing
restrictions on freedom of expression and media regulation.
- Identify, analyse and discuss international
sources of media law and freedom of expression.
- Critically reflect on central issues of media law and
freedom of expression (and its limits).
- Present media law policy aspects and specific issues or
problems in media law in other EU-member States or in other member
states of the Council of Europe and explain these issues in a
broader context, systematically and with consistency.
- Reflect critically to all kinds of interferences by
public authorities in the freedom of expression and information,
taking into account the rights and duties involved regarding the
respect for other human rights and other (legal) interests.
- Explain, discuss, argue and present solutions
how to regulate or mediate the conflicting interests between
freedom of expression and right of privacy, freedom of religion,
presumption of innocence and fair trial interests, personality
rights, protection of secrecy and confidentiality, public security
interests, intellectual property rights, minority rights and
economic and commercial interests.
- Communicate and formulate their knowledge and arguments
professionally and linguistically correct and in a way that is
structured and coherent.
Dirk Voorhoof and Eva Lievens
European Media Law,
Collection of Materials 2016-2017 (Ed.), Antwperen, Knops
Publishing, 2016, 294 p., ISBN 978-9-
4603-5467-0,
http://www.mijnwetboek.be/en/producten/European-Media-Law-2016-2017
2 or 3 chapters in book, for together approx. 80 pages
Council of Europe,
Journalism at risk, Council of Europe Publ. 2015, 266 p., ISBN
978-92-871-8120-6
https://book.coe.int/usd/en/human-rights-and-democracy/6675-journalism-at-risk.html
- Category
- Hours
- Preparation
- 178,25
- Seminar
- 28
- Total
- 206,25
Enrolling as a Single Master Level/ Credit Student:
For Single Master Level Courses – click here!
For Single-subject credit students - click here!
For further
information
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Oral examination, 20 minutesOral exam based on synopsis, 20 minutes
- Exam registration requirements
In order to attend the oral examination, it is a prerequisite to hand in the synopsis before the specified deadline.
The deadline is agreed upon with the course lecturer.- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- External censorship
- Exam period
Week 12, 2018
- Re-exam
Week 31, 2018 - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- JJUA55186U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree MasterFull Degree Master choice
- Duration
- 1 semester
- Placement
- Spring
- Schedule
- Please see timetable for teaching time
- Continuing and further education
- Price
DKK 7.500
- Study board
- Law
Contracting department
- Law
Course Coordinators
- Trine Baumbach (14-7b7970756c3569687c7469686a6f47717c7935727c356b72)