LAW4316 The media and the state
Faculty of Law
LAW4316 The media and the state is a level 4, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Law. It isn't offered in 2026. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Not offered
- Assessment
- Exam 60%
- and 1 other task
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before LAW4316
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After LAW4316
No unit lists LAW4316 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
You must have completed at least 60 credit points of law study
Overview
The purpose of this unit is to identify and evaluate the laws which govern the way in which the media collect and disseminate news and information about the state. Core topics are: the media and the courts (open justice and obtaining information about court proceedings, suppression orders, contempt of court, journalists and their sources), the media and parliament (contempt of Parliament, parliamentary broadcasts) and reporting elections and other political material. Other topics will be selected from the following list: reporting on defence and national security (sedition, official secrets, reporting terrorism etc) and offensive publications (blasphemy, obscenity, the classification system, racial and religious vilification etc).
Offerings in 2026
The 2026 handbook lists no offerings for LAW4316.
Assessment
- Class testQuiz / Test40%
- Take home examExamination60%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Identify and demonstrate an ability to apply the laws that are covered in each topic in terms of their impact on the media.
- 2
Critically analyse the relationship between the media and the organs of State.
- 3
Articulate reasoned opinions as to whether the laws studied strike an appropriate balance between freedom of speech and other important public interests such as the administration of justice, national security and the protection of citizens from offensive material.
Workload and teaching
- Seminars36 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. The unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
Learning resources
Required resources
See the Moodle unit page for prescribed and recommended resources. Prescribed texts are usually available for purchase through the University Bookstore and are sometimes available for short-term loan or as eBooks through the library.
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for LAW4316?
LAW4316 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is LAW4316 offered?
LAW4316 has no offerings listed in the 2026 handbook.
How much work is LAW4316?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does LAW4316 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 60% of the final mark, alongside 1 other task.