session 2. the international human rights framework.

It is the objective of session two to present the international human rights framework of pertinence to media. The different dimensions of the freedom of expression will thus be central to our analysis. We will look at the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights but also discuss the law and practice developed under the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
I urge you to read the case Demuth v. Switzerland before the session, so we could discuss it in more detail.

Reading materials
Jorgensen, Freedom of Expression
Marauhn, Freedom of Expression (ECHR)

Legal texts:
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR)

Case:
Demuth v. Switzerland, ECtHR

Optional:
Mira Burri, Immer mehr staatlich verordnete Grenzen im Cyberspace (NZZ, October 2010) (in German)$$

Here are the slides of session 2.

session 1. introduction to the course and overview of its core topics.

The objective of the first session of the course is to get you acquainted with contemporary media as a specific subject matter of regulation. Amongst others, questions to be addressed are: What are the economic and societal justifications for regulating media? Have these rationales been modified over time as the media landscape has profoundly changed? What is international media law? What are its building blocks and how are they reflected in the course's structure?

Organisational sides of the course will also be clarified and the pertinent questions answered.

Reading materials:
Flew, New Media: An Introduction
Sauvé and Steinfatt, Multilateral Rules on Trade and Culture (only pages 326-339; the entire article for session 9)

Optional:
Benkler, The Wealth of Networks, chapter 1 (background text; also useful for subsequent sessions)
Jenkins, Convergence? I Diverge
Burri, New Technologies, New Patterns of Consumer/Business Behaviour and Their Implications for Audiovisual Media Regulation

Note: Please, check the box on the right for the updated schedule of sessions.

Here are the slides of session 1.