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There is no doubt that
the media are very influential actors in modern society.
Their ability to spread information and ideas very
widely and speedily, and to provide a forum for
discussion, gives them a crucial place in democratic
society. More specifically, they can enhance the quality
of debate on matters of public interest and make such
debate accessible for a broad range of indviduals and
groups. On the other hand, the media are often accused
of abusing their power, by presenting material in a
false, distorted, biased, sensationalist or offensive
manner, or by excluding certain interests and opinions.
International media law and policy have no choice but to
engage with these tensions between the ideals and
realities that define media activities in practice. They
seek to create an environment in which the media can
fulfil their democratic tasks without political or other
interference, and promote various public interests. They
also seek to prevent malpractice on the part of the
media.
The course will introduce and explain a selection of key
theories of media freedom and regulation, as developed
in legal and non-legal academic disciplines. It will
present and examine leading European and international
legal standards governing media activities. Different
types of media (eg. public service, commercial, local,
community, transnational) have different objectives,
which are reflected in law and policy approaches and in
practice. The course will also offer specific focuses on
selected aspects of media freedoms, responsibilities and
activities: human rights aspects; journalistic aspects;
socio-cultural aspects, and technological and economic
aspects.
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