Course

UNIT 1

Indian Media and the Constitution: Media Roles, Responsibilities and Privileges – Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy; Media Freedom in a Democracy

UNIT 2

Indian Media and the State: Parliamentary Privileges and Contempt of Court; Official Secrets Act, Sedition laws, Defamation; Working Journalists Act, Copyright Act, Right to Information

UNIT 3

Broadcasting Law: Press Council of India, Prasar Bharati Act, Cable TV Network (Regulation)Act, Advertising code, Cinematography Act 1952 and Film Censorship

UNIT 4

Cyber Law: IT Act of 2000; Amendment of IT Act in 2008; Measures against digital piracy; Social-Media and OTT self-regulation.

UNIT 5

Ethical Issues in Indian Media: Code of Ethics, Media Bias, Censorship, Privacy issues, Obscenity, Violence, Hate speech, Fake news and post-truth, Trial by media, Women and Children in media, Pressures on Media Freedom (Political, Commercial, Legal

Course Objective:

The course will take students through the legal issues related to mass media. This will enable them to gain anunderstanding of media laws in India and their implications.

Course Outcomes:

1. To gain an understanding of laws pertaining to media
2. To apprehend analytical knowledge into ethical issues related to
3. Students learn to apply media laws to case studies and evaluate the relative
4. Understand the merits and demerits of laws and ethical questions pertaining to
5. Understand and explain the code of ethics in Indian media and its significance in maintaining professional standards and public trust.

Reference Books:

• Journalism Ethics: Arguments and cases for the twenty-first century – Roger Patching and Martin Hirst,
• Journalism Ethics and Regulation (Longman Practical Journalism) – Chris Frost, Third Edition, Longman, 201
• MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF MEDIA LAW (2017 EDITION) By Genelle Belmas, Jason M. Shepard & Wayne E. Overbeck