6 ECTS credits
150 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 1000808BER for all students in the 2nd semester
at
a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.
- Semester
- 2nd semester
- Enrollment based on exam contract
- Possible
- Grading method
- Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
- Can retake in second session
- Yes
- Enrollment Requirements
- Je hebt ‘Mediabeleid’ gevolgd, alvorens ‘Mediarecht’ op te nemen.
- Taught in
- Dutch
- Faculty
- Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
- Department
- Communication Sciences
- Educational team
- Fabienne Brison
(course titular)
- Activities and contact hours
- 39 contact hours Lecture
111 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
- Course Content
The "Media Law" course unit is a hands-on introduction to mastering the main legal rules in media law and is divided into three parts.
- The first part concerns "the content" of communications and deals with the European and Belgian constitutional protection of freedom of expression as well as the restrictions imposed on this freedom by law (e.g. in the public interest: the protection of public order and morals, the prohibition of discrimination; and to protect private interests: the right to honour and reputation, the right to privacy, the right to image, etc.). This section also includes an overview of some sectoral rules restricting freedom of expression, including especially those concerning advertising. Finally, the possible sanctions to punish the abuse of freedom of expression (with in particular the right of reply) are discussed.
- The second part concerns "the medium" for communication which mainly looks at the Flemish media decree.
- The third part concerns "the sender" of the communication. Here it discusses copyright on the one hand and the rules applicable to journalists in Belgium on the other (including the protected title of "professional journalist", secrecy of sources, professional ethics rules and their supervision by the Press Council).
- Course material
- Digital course material (Required) : Slides van de hoorcolleges ter beschikking gesteld, Canvas
Handbook (Recommended) : Wetboek media- en auteursrecht, Brison - Manpaey-Van Der Perre, OWL Press, 9789463930451, 2019
Digital course material (Recommended) : Background material via Canvas
- Additional info
Lectures. Students are strongly encouraged to attend the lectures to get a better understanding of the material and slides, as well as the expectations in the exam. Besides the in-house lectures, guest lectures are also organised. If necessary, guest lectures can be given in French or English, depending on the mother tongue of the speaker. (Guest) lectures can take place on location (but always in or around Brussels).
Slides of the lectures (including guest lectures which are therefore an integral part of the course material) are made available via the VUB's electronic learning platform. These slides can be supplemented with your own notes taken during the lectures.
Legal texts will also be made available, if necessary through a law book, if not downloadable via Canvas and/or the Internet.
- Learning Outcomes
-
General competencies
This study section - through an understanding of the legal aspects of media and communication, their creation, their purpose, their scope and their interpretation - contributes to the following learning outcomes of the Bachelor of Communication Studies programme:
- Students have knowledge and understanding of historical and recent developments in media and communication.
- Students have knowledge and understanding of the structures, operations and processes within media and communications organisations, media and communications practices and media and communications markets.
- Students can detect trends and problem areas in a media landscape, analyse them from a theoretical frame of reference and analysis, and assess their social, professional and policy implications.
- Students demonstrate a critical attitude towards source material and literature.
- The students demonstrate an honest attitude, ethical stance and committed mindset which allows them to make relevant contributions to current scientific and societal debates.
- Students develop an attitude of listening and respect for each other to engage in discussions based on scientific and evidence-based arguments.
- Students demonstrate an interested, inquisitive and searching attitude and possess an open attitude towards lifelong and independent learning.
- Grading
-
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
- Written Exam
with a relative weight of 1
which comprises 100% of the final mark.
- Additional info regarding evaluation
Examination format: written.
A trio of questions (overview, insight, knowledge) from various parts of the course unit.
To this end, students may consult the law book or otherwise provided legal texts (without notes) during the examination if necessary; consultation of other study materials is not allowed.
Examples of exam questions:
- How is freedom of expression legally guaranteed?
- How much time do you have available to enforce a right of reply in a newspaper?
- What is the cascade principle?
- Explain a newspaper article in the light of the course
- Allowed unsatisfactory mark
- The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.
Academic context
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Philosophy and Moral Sciences: default (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Communication Studies: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)