You will study and question the limits of press freedom and how law, ethics and regulation influence decision-making in the newsroom. Legal concepts studied will include defamation, privacy, copyright, breach of confidence, contempt of court and censorship. It will include consideration of how journalists cover breaking stories about crime, serious allegations against named individuals, and the principles that apply when reporting on the courts and other public hearings. You will consider how the Ofcom code influences the selection and treatment of news stories by broadcasters. The module will also look at the Editors’ Code of Practice and the print media regulators like IPSO, including discussion of issues like privacy, the use of anonymous sources, the conduct of journalists around people who have suffered grief or shock, harassment, the protection of children and the use of secret recording and other clandestine techniques in pursuit of a news story.
This module will prepare you to take professional exams set by the National Council for the Training of Journalists which are externally examined as part of the Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
Workshop 64 hours
Main Assessment Methods:
Online test (50%). Details: One hour open-book test of ethical and legal knowledge applied to realistic journalism situations and dilemmas
Case study report (50%). Details: 1,000 words: Critical analysis and decision-making based on a supplied ethical/legal/regulatory dilemma.
Reassessment Methods: like for like
On successfully completing the module, students will be able to:
1) Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the concepts, principles and rules governing the restrictions on freedom of expression in the media by the law
2) Critically evaluate the tensions that arise between the desire to promote free speech and the recognition that certain controls on it may be necessary
3) Deal with complex legal and ethical issues logically and thoughtfully, make sound judgements and communicate conclusions clearly
4) Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving legal and ethical issues faced by media professionals
5) Demonstrate a broad understanding of how journalism is regulated and develop critiques of regulation in its various forms
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