Media Law
The essay will consist of an IDEA for two substantial feature articles or (as in the example below) for related radio reports about a particular topic (actual or hypothetical) that you believe to be of public interest and that would be practical to report. You do not need to conduct actual interviews. You will describe and discuss the anticipated content and substance of the articles/reports.
At the top give:
(a) the actual word count of your essay.
(b) the proposed idea in the form of a question that your articles/reports will answer. (e.g. Is there a shortage of housing in Dublin, Ireland?).
(c) the type of readership that you are addressing (e.g. general, aged over 55, young etc.)
.
N.B. Focus and clarity and clear referencing are expected. Please lay out the essay carefully, checking before submission that spelling is correct and that all sentences read as normal everyday language.
Sources should be shown whenever a statement is made that requires a source to back it up (e.g. “house prices are still RISING in Ireland”, “HUNDREDS of people are living rough in Dublin”. If you have not got a source then adjust what you say, e.g. “the cost of accommodation in Dublin is a real challenge for young people”, “the problem of people sleeping rough is obvious to anyone walking through Dublin’s main streets late at night.”)
References to relevant legal provisions and cases are expected.
The anticipated and/or actual substance of the story should be such that it will require you to consider and discuss how various legal provisions and requirements shall impinge on your coverage of the story, making reference among anything else to at least four of the following areas of law (although not necessarily in the same number of words in each case):-
Evidential requirements
Freedom of information
Privacy
Contempt of Court
Defamation (fewer than 100 words).
In other words, you are coming up with two articles that might give rise to relevant legal issues and discussing the envisaged content in the light of any legal issues that could arise.
ESSAY (FICTIONAL EXAMPLE)
Does Bus Éireann take care of its workers?
Two articles dealing with the treatment of workers employed by Bus Éireann. One article centres on the treatment of a driver who retired early due to stress, while the other centres on an employee who has been on contract for some years and wishes to be made a permanent member of staff. Each article may include other interviews.
Evidence? What are the sources (people, official reports, documents, media, etc.) and how reliable are they? Is there corroboration? Is there balance/contradictory evidence?
Privacy? The first story will include information about the family, including about the children of the driver.
FOI? Rumours that Bus Éireann has an unpublished policy of keeping workers on contract and avoiding long-term employment may merit a specific FOI request to a number of organisations.
Contempt of Court? The driver is suing a particular manager for damages for alleged assault and the case is due to be heard soon.
Defamation? Each story includes accusations of mistreatment by identifiable members of management. (less than 100 words).
Incorporate references to lectures and relevant articles, books etc.