Dr A Scott, NAB 6.25

For LLM, MSc Media and Communications, MSc Media and Communications (Media and Communication Governance) and MSc Media and Communications (Research) students and other Masters level students.

This course is capped at 30 students. Students must apply through Graduate Course Choice on LSEforYou.

This course examines the legal and administrative regulation of newsgathering and content production practices undertaken by journalists and others working in the media sector. The course is introduced with consideration of a number of themes that underpin the rest of the syllabus: the role(s) of the media in society (including conceptions of the 'public interest'); the main social, technological and regulatory influences that shape media newsgathering practise, and rights jurisprudence (in particular, the freedom of expression and freedom of the press in national and international law). The course then examines a number of newsgathering practices that are either facilitated or proscribed by law and/or other forms of regulation. These include access to information held by the state (freedom of information); protection of sources; harassment and media intrusion; entrapment and interference with witnesses ('cheque-book journalism'); media-police interaction, and surreptitious newsgathering practices (hacking, tapping and subterfuge).

10 weekly two-hour seminars in LT. The course is also supported by a series of specialist seminars with outside speakers and research methods sessions, and by an online discussion forum.

Students must submit an essay plan and working bibliography for the assessed essay. All students are expected to contribute to a series of class and online exercises, and to submit one 1,500 word essay.

Fenwick and Phillipson, Media Freedom Under the Human Rights Act (OUP, 2006); Robertson and Nicol, Media Law (Sweet & Maxwell, 5th ed 2007), Warby, Moreham and Christie (eds), Tugendhat and Christie: The Law of Privacy and the Media, (2^nd ed, OUP, 2011), Nicol, Millar and Sharland, Media Law and Human Rights (OUP, 2009), Burden, News of the World?: Fake Sheikhs and Royal Trappings (Eye Books, 2008), Davies, Flat Earth News (Chatto & Windus, 2008); de Burgh, Investigative Journalism (Routledge, 2nd ed, 2008).

One 8,000 word extended essay (100%). The extended essay will meet the LLM Writing Requirement.