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Digital Media Regulation - LAWS8329
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Faculty: Faculty of Law
 
 
School:  Faculty of Law
 
 
Course Outline: See below
 
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Postgraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 2
 
 
Enrolment Requirements:
 
 
Prerequisite: Academic Program must be either 9200, 9210, 5740 or 9230
 
 
Excluded: JURD7429
 
 
CSS Contribution Charge:Band 3 (more info)
 
 
Tuition Fee:See Tuition Fee Schedule
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
 

Description

This course focuses on current issues surrounding the regulation of digital media, including digital television and radio, mobile communications and the internet. It includes a comparative analysis of regulation governing access to digital communications infrastructure and the regulation of digital content and digital content navigation systems. The course also focuses on the various socio-legal perspectives on digital media and regulatory issues.


LLM Specialisations

Recommended Prior Knowledge

None

Course Objectives

A candidate who has successfully completed this course should:
  • Have an understanding of a variety of digital communications technologies and how they are regulated
  • Understand regulatory issues resulting from the digitisation and convergence of mainstream media and communications platforms
  • Engage with and critically evaluate policy debates and responses surrounding the regulation of digital media technologies
  • Engage with the academic literature on the regulation of digital communications technologies.

Main Topics

  • Regulatory policy-making in the digital communications environment
  • Transition to digital television and radio, both in Australia and internationally
  • Digitisation and the future of public service broadcasting: Australia and UK comparison
  • Regulation of mobile and internet media
  • New media markets and competition issues
  • Interoperability and standard-setting in the digital environment

Assessment

Class participation (Preparation and engagement in class) 20%
Research essay (6,000 words) 80%
 

Course Texts

Prescribed
None

Recommended

  • Des Butler and Sharon Rodrick, Australian Media Law (Pyrmont: Lawbook Co, 3rd ed 2007)
  • Jock Given, Turning off the Television: Broadcasting’s Uncertain Future (Sydney: UNSW Press, 2003)
  • Hernan Galperin, New Television, Old Politics: The Transition to Digital TV in the United States and Britain (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004)
  • Michael Starks, Switching to Digital Television: UK Public Policy and the Market (Bristol: Intellect Books, 2007)
  • Andrew T. Kenyon (ed), TV Futures: Digital Television Policy in Australia (Carlton: Melbourne University Press, 2007)
  • Andrew Murray, The Regulation of Cyberspace (Abingdon: Routledge-Cavendish, 2007).

Resources

A set of printed materials will be available.

URL for this page:

© The University of New South Wales (CRICOS Provider No.: 00098G), 2004-2011. The information contained in this Handbook is indicative only. While every effort is made to keep this information up-to-date, the University reserves the right to discontinue or vary arrangements, programs and courses at any time without notice and at its discretion. While the University will try to avoid or minimise any inconvenience, changes may also be made to programs, courses and staff after enrolment. The University may also set limits on the number of students in a course.