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  2. Media Law and Ethics [JOU2103]

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Media Law and Ethics

  • Unit Code

    JOU2103

  • Year

    2017

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    1

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

    N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Kayt DAVIES

Description

Media Law and Ethics offers an overview of media ethics and media law as they affect journalists practicing in Australia. It covers the essential knowledge of ethics and law required for a wide range of journalistic tasks, including researching, writing and editing news. For students studying culture and communications more broadly it gives a valuable insight into the legal constraints on journalists and the broader issues of press freedom and open justice.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded CMM2103

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse and discuss contentious areas of media law and ethics.
  2. Evaluate and justify,with reference to specific laws, why some repartage should not be published.
  3. Interpret and abide by the Australian Journalists Association Code of Ethics.
  4. Work competently as journalists within the bounds of the Australian legal system.

Unit Content

  1. An introduction to a range of perennial and emerging contentious international legal and ethical issues.
  2. An introduction to the social and philosophical theories that underpin media laws and journalistic codes of ethics that hold journalists to standards that defend equality, respect for all cultures and sustainability.
  3. An overview of the legal and regulatory framework that Australian media workers operate in.
  4. Detailed practical information on how journalists use understanding of the law to avoid problems with defamation and contempt and how they can access and report privileged information.
  5. The study of applied journalistic ethics in the Australian Journalists Association Code of Ethics.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, workshops, visiting speakers.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
ExerciseWeekly work40%
AssignmentCourt report article(s) (total 300 words plus related documents).20%
ExaminationExamination40%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

JOU2103|1|1

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Media Law and Ethics

  • Unit Code

    JOU2103

  • Year

    2017

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    1

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

    N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Kayt DAVIES

Description

Media Law and Ethics offers an overview of media ethics and media law as they affect journalists practicing in Australia. It covers the essential knowledge of ethics and law required for a wide range of journalistic tasks, including researching, writing and editing news. For students studying culture and communications more broadly it gives a valuable insight into the legal constraints on journalists and the broader issues of press freedom and open justice.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded CMM2103

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse and discuss contentious areas of media law and ethics.
  2. Evaluate and justify,with reference to specific laws, why some repartage should not be published.
  3. Interpret and abide by the Australian Journalists Association Code of Ethics.
  4. Work competently as journalists within the bounds of the Australian legal system.

Unit Content

  1. An introduction to a range of perennial and emerging contentious international legal and ethical issues.
  2. An introduction to the social and philosophical theories that underpin media laws and journalistic codes of ethics that hold journalists to standards that defend equality, respect for all cultures and sustainability.
  3. An overview of the legal and regulatory framework that Australian media workers operate in.
  4. Detailed practical information on how journalists use understanding of the law to avoid problems with defamation and contempt and how they can access and report privileged information.
  5. The study of applied journalistic ethics in the Australian Journalists Association Code of Ethics.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, workshops, visiting speakers.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
ExerciseWeekly work40%
AssignmentCourt report article(s) (total 300 words plus related documents).20%
ExaminationExamination40%

Core Reading(s)

  • Pearson, M., & Polden, M. (2015). The journalists' guide to media law: a handbook for communicators in a digital world (5th ed.). Sydney, Australia: Allen & Unwin.

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

JOU2103|1|2