From traditional media outlets and journalistic practices to increasingly ubiquitous online publications, platforms and conduct, the media plays a significant role in our lives. This paper addresses legal areas and principles of particular relevance to media processes of information gathering and dissemination. Throughout, recurring issues of how the balance is struck in this context between free expression, privacy and other rights and expectations; and how public interest considerations are taken into account will be discussed. Students are recommended to have taken, or currently be taking, LAWS 301 Law of Torts.
About this paper
| Paper title | Media Law |
|---|---|
| Subject | Law |
| EFTS | 0.1 |
| Points | 15 points |
| Teaching period | Not offered in 2025 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $774.00 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- 96 LAWS points
- Pre or Corequisite
- Any 200-level LAWS paper not already passed
- Limited to
- LLB, LLB(Hons)
- Notes
- Not all optional papers will be available in any given year.
- Eligibility
Students are recommended to have taken, or currently be taking, LAWS 301 Law of Torts.
- Contact
- law@otago.ac.nz
- More information link
- View more information on the Faculty of Law's website
- Teaching staff
- Paper Structure
The course will cover legal topics of importance to the media including the regulatory landscape; defamation; Parliament and court reporting; contempt; privacy, breach of confidence, limits on information-gathering, and copyright.
- Textbooks
Course readings via eReserve.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Scholarship, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Ethics, Environmental literacy, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation, Teamwork.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
As well as providing an overview of the key doctrines, regulation and developments in this area, this paper seeks to provide students with an understanding of their theoretical underpinnings and comparative insights into how other jurisdictions have approached these issues, together with their potential impact on New Zealand.