Syllabus
MCOM 211 Media Law and Ethics
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COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
MCOM 211 Media Law and Ethics
A survey of Lebanese, Arab, and International media laws and regulations in journalism,
public relations, advertising, digital media, and entertainment, that emphasizes freedom
of the press, copyright, privacy, libel, and obscenity, and explores the ethical guidelines,
moral values, and social responsibilities of various media practices.
Course Description
This course aims to establish a thorough comprehension of media ethics as globally
understood and standardized. It engages with ethical dilemmas that journalists and other
media practitioners face in their career, in theory and practice. In addition, the course
presents the basic legal framework to which the media industry is bound to abide by in
the United States. It also examines the key provisions of law regulating mediascapes in
selected Arab countries and Lebanon. In the process of covering its diverse topics, the
course aims to delineate the interrelation between ethics and law. The interplay between
individual, institutional, and social conceptions of ethical and legal liabilities is also
underscored in the course of learning. The learning process aims to generate a
participatory and dynamic interchange in class. In this context, a number of visitors from
well known media institutions and networks will be visiting and engaging in class
discussions to further vitalize them. This also helps relate the theories under study to
practical encounters of problematic situations in journalism, advertizing, and digital
agencies.
Course Learning Outcomes
Students successfully completing this course should to be able to
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understand the basics of public communication laws and regulations, especially
freedom of the press, copyright, privacy, libel, and obscenity.
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apply the laws and regulations that govern print, broadcast, and online media to
various situations.
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analyze court decisions and legislations regarding media law and their impact on
citizens, businesses, and political groups.
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construct a moral argument to justify a decision or practice in the media industry.
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assess ethical guidelines and traditions in various media professions and practices.
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discuss differences in laws, regulations, moral values, and codes of conduct across
different countries, cultures, and times.
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Course Material
Main Textbook:
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Digital Media Law, by Ashley Packard (Wiley). 2013 Edition.
Selections from the following books will be posted on Moodle:
Ethics and the Media: An Introduction, by Stephen Ward (Cambridge University
Press). 2011 Edition.
Media Ethics: Issues and Cases, by Philip Patterson and Lee Wilkins. 1991
Edition.
Satellite Realms, by Naomi Sakr (Tauris). 2002 Edition.
Arab Television Today, by Naomi Sakr (Tauris). 2007 Edition.
Arab Media in the Information Age, by a group of writers (Emirates Center for
Strategic Studies and Research). 2006 Edition.
The Handbook of Global Media and Communication Policy, by a group of writers
(Blackwell Publishing). 2011 Edition.
Selected papers from the following conferences will be posted on Moodle:
Journalism Ethics: Individual, Institutional, or Cultural (Reuters Institute –
Oxford University), September 2012. Papers to be posted:
- Ethical accountability in media organizations in an era of turbulence and
uncertainty.
- How journalists perceive influence.
- Is it good to be a good journalist?
- Journalism ethics in wartime.
- The ethical newsroom: Where the individual and the collective work together.
Journalism Testing Legal Boundaries: Media Laws and the Reporting of Arab
News (Arab Media Center - University of Westminster), June 2008. Papers to be
posted:
- Testing legal boundaries within Arab media hubs: reporting, law, and politics
in three media cities.
- Arab citizens journalism in action: challenging mainstream media, authorities,
and media law.
- Arab press penalties: molding laws to manipulate liberties.
The following studies and articles will be posted on Moodle:
Censorship in Lebanon: Law and Practice, by Nizar Saghieh, Rana Saghieh, and
Nayla Geagea - Chapters 3 and 4.
Memorandum analyzing amendments proposed to the 1962 Press Law of Lebanon
and the Press Law itself, by the Free Word Centre in London.
Selected articles
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Course Policies
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is “the copying or paraphrasing of other people’s work or ideas into your own
work without full acknowledgement. All published and unpublished material, whether in
manuscript, printed or electronic form, is covered under this definition”.
(Oxford University website: http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/goodpractice/about/)
Plagiarism is completely prohibited in all tests, papers, and assignments. All sources must
be cited when used. Failure to comply with the rules regarding this matter will severely
affect your grade and will instigate disciplinary action. You can familiarize yourself with
the AUB’s ethical regulations by checking the University’s Student Code of Conduct:
http://pnp.aub.edu.lb/general/conductcode/index.html
Readings:
Assigned readings should be done before class. Completing reading assignments is
necessary for engaging in class discussions. The points assigned for attendance and
participation constitute a significant portion of the overall average. It could highly be
affected by the failure to complete the assigned readings.
Sharing Assignments:
Unless clearly specified, as in the case of group work, sharing assignments is forbidden
and is considered cheating. All students involved in such misconduct will be penalized.
Grades will be deducted and individuals involved will be subject to disciplinary
measures.
Papers Format and Guidelines:
All papers should follow APA style and format, be typed, doublespaced, spell-checked,
proof-read, have one-inch margins, and use 12-point serif font (e.g. Times News Roman).
You are required to name the files you upload according to the following formula:
"Lname_Fname_AssignmentName.extension" Example:
Barakat_Rabie_ML1.doc
Late Work:
Work is due at the beginning of class on the assigned date. Late submissions will cause
point deductions. Unless justifiable, each day of lateness will be penalized by removing
five points out of a hundred. In case of compelling circumstances, please contact me
beforehand. Otherwise, you will be responsible for your lateness.
Cell Phones:
Mobiles should be turned off during class. They are not permitted during exams. Using
them or any portable communication technology (including iPods, mp3 players...) during
the exam will be considered cheating.
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Incomplete Coursework:
Incomplete grades are given at the discretion of the instructor, and only under extenuating
circumstances such as a major illness, death in the family or other unexpected
emergencies. In all other instances, you must submit your work within the time frame
allowed by the university before the start of the following semester.
Information on incompletes and other grading policies are ruled by the university and the
department's regulations and policies, and it is your responsibility to be informed about
them.
Any non- or late submission will result in a ZERO on the missed assignment(s).
Disabilities:
In case of disabilities that require assistance, please provide me with official documents
regarding the case as soon as possible. Any call for assistance is more than welcome.
Grading
Attendance, participation, and Punctuality (12 points)
Presentation (12 points)
Papers (3) (10 points each)
Drop quizzes (6 points)
Mid Term Exam (15 points)
Final Exam (25 points)
Total: 100
Attendance, Participation and Punctuality (12 pts)
Attendance is compulsory. Missing class with no valid excuse results in the deduction of
1 point per absence. Punctuality is important as well. You will not be allowed to enter
class if you arrive more than 5 minutes late. Your participation is your means to achieve a
high score. This, as previously mentioned, requires your fulfillment of the assigned
readings. Full attendance, punctuality, and dynamic participation allow you to achieve the
full mark.
3 Papers (10 points each)
Three papers will be assigned throughout the course. Each should be 500 - 750 words in
length (2 - 3 pages if Times New Roman, font 12, double spaced).
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The first paper, due on the 1st of March, should present an ethically
problematic case in Lebanon or an Arab state. The student is expected to base
his discussion of the case s/he chose on the ethical grounds presented in
earlier readings.
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The second paper, due on the 3rd of April, should present a case that relates to
one of the following issues: Defamation, Invasion of Privacy, Obscenity and
Violence. The case should be discussed in light of its definition in the book
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(Digital Media Law) as well as the provisions governing it in the Lebanese
media law. The latter will be distributed in class beforehand.
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For the third paper, due on the 10th of May, the student should choose one of
the following topics:
1Choose a copyright case in Lebanon and analyze it with reference to the
Lebanese Copyright Law and your readings about copyright infringement in
Digital Media Law.
2Choose a topic (not a case) pertaining to censorship versus freedom of
expression and draw a comparison between the legal provisions (or
guidelines) governing it in the United States (as shown in Digital Media Law)
and those governing it in Lebanon (as shown in Censorship in Lebanon: Law
and Practice).
Grading Rubric for Papers:
1) Writing uses texts and analysis criteria discussed in class with a clear understanding of
each. (2.0)
2) Writing makes a clear, well-organized and well-supported argument that provides
sophisticated insights and analyses. (2.0)
3) Paper contains a clear introduction with a thesis statement that is supported by the
body of the paper and a conclusion with summary. (2.0)
5) Writing is clear and free of APA and grammar errors. It contains proper transitions and
headings that give the paper flow. (2.0)
6) Each paragraph has a clear thesis statement or main idea and supporting
documentation. (1.0)
7) Paper contains all required sections and adheres to the formatting directions and
follows submission directions. (1.0)
Drop quizzes (6 points)
5 minute drop quizzes will be given throughout the semester. Each quiz will be a simple
set of questions relevant to the readings assigned.
Presentation (12 points)
Each student is required to deliver a 10 minute presentation of an assigned reading (or of
a relevant topic to be suggested beforehand). If adequately prepared and delivered,
presentations can boost up your overall average, as the amount of points allocated to
them is significant. A presentation should be well structured and coherent. It should show
that you have understood the material assigned and are able to smoothly engage with it.
The more interactive and dynamic the presentation is, the more points you get.
Powerpoint is welcome but not mandatory. You should show up to class ahead of time to
prepare the setting in case you decide to do a powerpoint presentation. All presentations
are followed by a discussion. Participation in the discussion is graded according to the
aforementioned criteria.
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Mid Term Exam (15 points)
The midterm exam comes in the form of an essay. It covers the material presented and
discussed throughout the first part of this course, thus, mainly comprising the material
relating to media ethics. It aims to test your ability to critically engage with ethical
situations encountered in media industry and to base your arguments on supportive
professional standards and criteria.
Final Exam (25 pts)
The final exam includes multiple choice questions and an essay. It covers selected
material from various parts of the course. It aims to reaffirm that you’ve grasped the
concept of ethics codification in media production, yet it basically highlights the material
relevant to legal frameworks regulating media in the US, the Arab World, and Lebanon.
Schedule:
Week 1 (Jan 28, 30, Feb 1)
- Course Introduction
- Selections from Ethics and the Media: An Introduction (Chapters 2, 4)
Week 2 (Feb 4, 6, 8)
- Selections from Ethics and the Media: An Introduction (Chapters 5, 6, 7)
Week 3 (Feb 11, 13, 15)
- First 3 selected papers form the conference Journalism Ethics: Individual,
Institutional, or Cultural
Week 4 (Feb 18, 20, 22)
- 4th and 5th selected papers from the conference Journalism Ethics: Individual,
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Institutional, or Cultural
1st Case selection from Media Ethics: Issues and Cases
Week 5 (Feb 25 - Instructor absent for attending conference: Feb 27, Mar 1)
- 2nd Case selection from Media Ethics: Issues and Cases
- 1st paper due on the 1st of March.
Week 6 (Mar 4, 6, 8)
- Midterm exam
- Readings from Digital Media Law (Chapters 1, 2)
Week 7 (Mar 11, 13, 15)
- Readings from Digital Media Law (Chapters 4, 6, 7)
Week 8 (Mar 18, 20, 22)
- Readings from Digital Media Law (Chapters 8, 9, 10)
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Week 9 (Mar 25: holiday no classes - 27 – 29: holiday)
- Readings from Digital Media Law (Chapters 11)
Week 10 (Apr 1: holiday - 3, 5)
- 2nd paper due on the 3rd of April. Readings from Digital Media Law
(Chapters 12)
- Selections from Satellite Realms (Chapter 5)
Week 11 (Apr 8, 10, 12)
- Selections from Arab Television Today (Chapter 3)
- Selections from Arab Media in the Information Age (Section 9)
- Selections from The Handbook of Global Media and Communication Policy
(pp. 295-304)
Week 12 (Apr 15, 17, 19)
- First 3 selected papers from the conference Journalism Testing Legal
Boundaries: Media Laws and the Reporting of Arab News
Week 13 (Apr 22, 24, 26)
- Censorship in Lebanon: Law and Practice (Chapters 3, 4)
- Selected articles: New draft media laws for Lebanon limping through
parliament & Media reform in Lebanon: new media, new politics?
Week 14 (Apr 29 - May 1, 3: holiday)
- Memorandum analyzing amendments proposed to the 1962 Press Law of
Lebanon
Week 15 (May 6 holiday - 8, 10)
- Continue discussing proposed amendments from the memorandum
- 3nd paper due on the 10th of May. Advertizing media laws in Lebanon:
General guidelines (to be posted on Moodle).
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