Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Dr Roy Baker
Contact via roy.baker@mq.edu.au
W3A 509
Wednesdays, 11 - 12
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
(6cp in LAW or LAWS units at 300 level) or (39cp including MAS214)
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
While focusing on Australia, this unit takes an international and comparative perspective on key media issues. How do different countries decide who should control the media, as well as what they should and should not show? If we value free speech, how should we regulate material such as political debate, defamation, privacy, pornography, vilification and advertising? How do we hit the right balance between state media control and the right of individuals to free expression? We look at the day-to-day legal restrictions on the media and students get to experience what it is like to advise on media content.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
In order to pass this unit, internal students are required to:
1. meet the tutorial attendance requirement (see below under Tutorial Attendance Requirement);
2. participate in attended tutorials to a standard deemed satisfactory by the relevant teaching staff (see below under Tutorial Participation), and
3. attain at least 50 marks in the assessable tasks (see under Written Assessment below).
Tutorial Attendance Requirement
In order to pass the unit, students must, in the case of at least ten topics, attend a tutorial relating specifically to that topic.
Students who miss a tutorial due to circumstances that constitute ‘serious and unavoidable disruption’ as defined by the University’s Disruption to Studies Policy will need to notify the University in accordance with that policy. If necessary they should apply for special consideration.
If a tutorial is cancelled for any reason then the attendance role will be marked as though all students registered in that tutorial attended it. Only students registered in the tutorial in question immediately prior to its cancellation will be deemed to have attended. There will be no tutorials on Monday 6 October due to this being a public holiday (Labour Day). Students registered in a tutorial that would have been held on that day but for it being a public holiday will be treated as though that tutorial had been held and the student had attended it.
Note that the tutorial attendance requirement requires students to be present in mind as well as in body. Any student indulging in activities unrelated to the tutorial, such as surfing the web, whispering or working on assignments for other units, will be treated as though not attending. The student may also fail the unit due to unsatisfactory participation (see below under Tutorial Participation).
In the past, lateness in arriving at tutorials has become a recurring issue. For that reason, please note the following:
Changing your tutorial group
It is strongly recommended that you attend the same tutorial group throughout the Session. However, if your circumstances change during the Session and you need to change the day or time when you regularly attend (ie for two or more consecutive weeks) then you should re-register into another tutorial group. If the tutorial group that you wish to join is full then you will need to choose another. Under no circumstances will students be permitted to regularly attend a class in which they are not registered. The burden is on you to ensure that the tutor of the group you have moved into knows that you have joined the group and so records your attendances. (We are not automatically informed of changes in tutorial registration.)
Attending a tutorial other than the one in which you are registered
If you miss your regular tutorial then you may attend another tutorial without registering for it provided your attendance is for one week only. The burden is on you to ensure that the tutor of the group you attend records your attendance. Your attendance will count towards fulfilment of the tutorial attendance requirement provided these conditions are met. If you need to change to another tutorial group for two or more consecutive weeks then you will need to register in that group (see above under Changing your Tutorial Group).
Tutorial participation
In order to pass this unit students must have participated satisfactorily in all of the tutorials they attend. A student’s participation will be deemed satisfactory provided that student has shown sufficient regard for the tutorials’ principal objective, which is to further students’ understanding of the material under consideration. Student show sufficient regard by:
NB: your participation will NOT be deemed unsatisfactory simply on the basis that you:
Written assessments
In order to pass this unit students need to attain at least 50 marks garnered from the following:
Weekly Quizzes
Twelve weekly quizzes will be set. The questions will be made available via iLearn at least one week prior to the deadline for submission of answers. The quizzes will be conducted using iLearn and students must post their responses via iLearn. Answers submitted by email will not be accepted.
Each quiz will consist of two questions, making 24 questions in total. Each question will be worth one mark. Generally speaking, the first question in each quiz will focus on the issues looked at in previous topics, while the second question will tend to relate to the present topic (although this pattern might be varied from time to time). Questions will often (but not necessarily) follow a standard multiple choice format, with students being required to select the best out of a range of possible answers. However, students will also be required to write a short statement justifying their choice of answer.
Marks will be awarded in relation to each quiz question as follows:
A justification will be deemed adequate only if it fulfils all of the following criteria:
Guidance on writing succinct justifications, as well as examples of what will be deemed adequate and inadequate, can be found in the document entitled Guide to Answering Quiz Questions, which can be found on iLearn.
Students only have one opportunity to submit and justify their answers. Once submitted, neither the answer nor the justification can be amended or supplemented.
Answers to each quiz will be released on iLearn immediately after its deadline, with additional feedback being released (via a pdf document posted to iLearn) very shortly thereafter. For that reason, in no circumstances can an extension be granted for submission of answers.
Very occasionally it may be necessary for the convenor to amend a question after its release. This may be because the convenor has spotted an error or unintended ambiguity in the question. In the event of this happening, students who have already submitted an answer to the original question may choose to either be assessed on the basis of the original question or to instead attempt the revised question, in which case they will be assessed on the basis of their answer to the revised question. Questions will not be amended during the 72 hours leading up to the deadline.
Mid-Session assignment
Date for release of question: 8 am, Friday 19 September 2014 (Week 7)
Deadline for student submission: 11 pm, Monday 6 October 2014 (Week 8)
Students will write a 1,750-word answer in relation to a hypothetical situation. Guidance on how to succeed in relation to the mid-Session assignment will be posted online at the time of the question’s release.
Final examination
Date for release of exam question: 8 am, Saturday 15 November 2014
Deadline for student submission: 11 pm, Sunday 16 November 2014
There will be a take-home examination which will consist of writing a 1,750 word essay in response to a set question. Guidance on how to succeed in the final examination will be posted online at least one week prior to the exam question’s release.
Name | Weighting | Due |
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Quizzes | 24% | Various: see Unit Schedule |
Participation | 0% | Various: see Unit Schedule |
Mid-session assignment | 36% | 06/10/14 |
Final examination | 40% | 16/11/14 |
Due: Various: see Unit Schedule
Weighting: 24%
Twelve weekly quizzes will be set. For further information consult the Unit Notes.
Due: Various: see Unit Schedule
Weighting: 0%
Students will need to participate satisfactorily in tutorials.
Due: 06/10/14
Weighting: 36%
Students will advise in relation to a hypothetical situation involving the media.
Due: 16/11/14
Weighting: 40%
Students will write up to 1,750 words in response to one or more set exam questions.
This unit will be delivered via iLearn, recorded lectures, readings and weekly tutorials. the iLearn site may be accessed via: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/.
Students are required to have regular access to a computer and the internet. Mobile devices alone are not sufficient.
For technical support go to: http://mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/informatics/help.
For student quick guides on the use of iLearn go to: http://mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/guides.htm.
General notes:
Notes on accessing readings:
PART A: FREE SPEECH
Topic 1: The Free Speech Principle
Principles guide policy makers in the design of rules. This lecture asks what principles should govern media law. Should everything be premised on some kind of right to free speech? If so, what do we mean by this right and is it all it is cracked up to be?
Topic 2: Political Expression
This lecture continues to consider the arguments generally used in support of freedom of expression, focussing on the part free speech plays in a healthy democracy. Australia's High Court has given constitutional protection to political expression, but was that a good thing? Looking in particular at the issue of paid political advertising in broadcasting, I argue that the central problem lies in how we habitually conceptualise freedom.
Topic 3: Free Speech and the Nation
Historically, the state regulated speech so as to protect itself from its subjects. While to a degree it still does so, in more democratic times attention has switched towards safeguarding national cohesion. This lecture considers the extent to which states are entitled to regulate speech that vilifies sections of the community, such as racial, ethnic and sexual minorities, and which may lead to internal strife.
Topic 4: Pornography
If we accept the harm principle then we should not regulate erotica simply in order to safeguard the morals of its consumers. But pornography has been accused of objectifying those who appear in it, particularly women. Indeed, it has been described as nothing more than hate speech directed towards women. Using feminist theory, free speech discourse and the latest findings in neuroscience, this lecture compares various regulatory approaches to sexual content.
PART B: DEFAMATION LAW
Topic 5: Liability for Defamation
In Australia, one of the major legal constraints on journalistic freedom derives from defamation law. Starting off by asking whether any of us are entitled to laws that safeguard our reputations, this lecture considers how the tort of defamation is committed.
Topic 6: Defamation Defences and Remedies
Continuing our analysis of defamation law, this lecture looks at the defences available to media outlets that cause damage to reputation, and asks whether those reputations are overly protected.
Topic 7: Alternatives to Defamation
In this lecture I ask whether the tort of defamation is a broken tort, and whether the issue of protection of reputation is not better addressed through other forms of legal action, such as the tort of injurious falsehood or negligence, or a new action for breach of privacy.
PART C: PRIVACY
Topic 8: Access to Information
This lecture considers the extent to which the law both facilitates and hinders journalists' access to information, as well as its distribution via the media.
Topic 9: Privacy of Information and Communications
Controversy over phone hacking by journalists has exploded in the UK in recent years, has led to the closure of one of the country's oldest newspapers and could even threaten the Murdoch empire as we know it. This lecture considers whether the same thing could happen in Australia.
Topic 10: Personal Privacy
Historically, the common law never offered a remedy specifically designed to protect personal privacy. With the development of a more intrusive press, disquiet over this omission has become increasingly vocal. This lecture compares developments in the law of privacy in Australia with those overseas, particularly in Europe, where laws protecting privacy have a longer pedigree.
PART D: MEDIA CONTROL
Topic 11: Broadcasting Regulation
Of all Australian media, television and radio have been the most tightly regulated in recent decades. With advances in technology, particularly digital broadcasting and the internet, justifications for retaining the traditional structure of regulation have become increasingly strained. This lecture considers the argument for and against rigorous government intervention in broadcasting and asks whether it is time to set television and radio free.
Topic 12: Media Ownership
There is little point in freedom of expression if there is only one man talking. This lecture looks at how Australian law seeks to guarantee at least a modicum of media diversity, and why those efforts have been under attack in recent years.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
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