session 11. regulation for cultural diversity? pros and cons.

The time for the second interactive session has come. We will discuss a topic that we already touched upon in many ways, namely: whether it is justified and in fact doable to regulate for the protection and promotion of cultural diversity? These questions are asked against the background of a globalized media landscape, where we observe the emergence and use of multiple platforms and channels for expression and communication.
Yet, it could be argued that many voices have been marginalized in this environment and local cultures, especially in developing countries, are increasingly lost or (mis)appropriated by powerful globally positioned media companies. On the other hand, one could argue that digital media could make the expression and distribution of such local voices possible and strengthen their cultural value and the identity of the communities and peoples creating them.
It is certain that the picture to be painted is complex and not one of black and white. This makes the discussion particularly interesting and leaves the outcome open. The winning party will be ultimately the one with better structured and presented arguments.

The rules of the game remain the same.
You have however the advantage that you already heard the presentations of your colleagues during the first interactive session, as well as my comments on them.

The reading materials are few. They encompass basically the texts from last session, especially the first one on the list.
Those texts may have a slight bias towards arguments against cultural diversity regulation. Nonetheless, the other party arguing for cultural diversity regulation can make a strong case too. The lack of flexibilities within the WTO regime and the total disregard of cultural concerns are certainly the starting point there. The proliferation of mainstream content and homogenization of media outlets possibly another good point to make. Also, the text of the Convention itself and other short documents made available on the thematic page of UNESCO on culture can help you win the case.
Optional reading with some good data is a chapter from the UNESCO World Report on Cultural Diversity.

I wish both parties good luck for the preparations and look forward to an interesting discussion.

session 10. media globalization and its discontents.

After the hard work done in getting to know the law of the WTO, this session will be more dynamic and less legalistic.
It will explore the effects of globalization on media and how states have reacted upon these. We will look in particular at the tension between trade and culture, and at the concept and regulatory objective of cultural diversity. We will also contemplate whether digital media are differently created, distributed and accessed and if so, what the implications of this may be - in particular for promoting creativity and fostering cultural identities.

Reading materials
Burri, Reconciling Trade and Culture: A Global Law Perspective, JAMLS 41:2 (2011)
Anderson, The Long Tail
UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions

All readings will be of immediate help for those who will present during the interactive session on cultural diversity. They also give a good intro to the session on the challenges and opportunities for global media law.

Here are the slides for session 10.

session 11. regulation for cultural diversity? pros and cons.

The time for the second interactive session has come. We will discuss a topic that we already touched upon in all sorts of ways (in particular in session 9), namely: whether it is justified and in fact doable to regulate for the protection and promotion of cultural diversity? These questions are asked against the background of a globalized media landscape, where we observe the emergence and use of multiple platforms and channels for expression and communication.
Yet, it could be argued that many voices have been marginalized in this environment and local cultures, especially in developing countries, are increasingly lost or (mis)appropriated by powerful globally positioned media companies. On the other hand, one could argue that digital media could make the expression and distribution of such local voices possible and strengthen their cultural value and the identity of the communities and peoples creating them.
It is certain that the picture to be painted is complex and not one of black and white. This makes the discussion particularly interesting and leaves the outcome open. The winning party will be ultimately the one with better structured and presented arguments.

The rules of the game remain the same.
You have however the advantage that you already heard the presentations of your colleagues during the first interactive session, as well as my comments on them.

The reading materials are few. They encompass basically the texts from last session, especially the first one on the list.
Those texts may have a slight bias towards arguments against cultural diversity regulation. Nonetheless, the other party arguing for cultural diversity regulation can make a strong case too. The lack of flexibilities within the WTO regime and the total disregard of cultural concerns are certainly the starting point there. The proliferation of mainstream content and homogenization of media outlets possibly another good point to make. Also, the text of the Convention itself and other short documents made available on the thematic page of UNESCO on culture can help you win the case.
Optional reading with some good data is a chapter from the recent UNESCO World Report on Cultural Diversity.

I wish both parties good luck for the preparations and look forward to an interesting discussion next week.

Thanks so much for the wonderful presentations. The sum-up slides are here.

session 9. media globalization and its discontents.

After the hard work done in getting to know the law of the WTO, this session will be more dynamic and less legalistic.
It will explore the effects of globalization on media and how states have reacted upon these. We will look in particular at the tension between trade and culture, and at the concept and regulatory objective of cultural diversity. We will also contemplate whether digital media are differently created, distributed and accessed and if so, what the implications of this may be - in particular for promoting creativity and fostering cultural identities.

Reading materials
Burri, Reconciling Trade and Culture: A Global Law Perspective, JAMLS 41:2 (2011)
Anderson, The Long Tail
UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions

Optional:
Time's Person of the Year: You, 2006
The Economist, The Clash of Clouds, Oct. 2009

All readings will be of immediate help for those who will present during the interactive session on cultural diversity. They also give a good intro to the session on the challenges and opportunities for global media law.

Here are the slides for session 9.

session 10. regulation for cultural diversity? pros and cons.

The time for the second interactive session has come. We will discuss a topic that we already touched upon in all sorts of ways (in particular in session 9), namely: whether it is justified and in fact doable to regulate for the protection and promotion of cultural diversity? These questions are asked against the background of a globalised media landscape where we observe the emergence and use of multiple platforms and channels for expression and communication. Yet, it could be argued that many voices have been marginalised in this environment and local cultures, especially in developing countries, are increasingly lost or (mis)appropriated by powerful globally positioned media companies. On the other hand, one could argue that digital media could make the expression and distribution of such local voices possible and strengthen their cultural value and the identity of the communities and peoples creating them.
It is certain that the picture to be painted is complex and not one of black and white. This makes the discussion particularly interesting and leaves the outcome open. The winning party will be ultimately the one with better structured and presented arguments.

The rules of the game remain the same.
You have however the advantage that you already heard the presentations of your colleagues during the first interactive session, as well as my comments on them.

The reading materials are few. They encompass basically the texts from last session, especially the first one on the list.
Those texts may have a slight bias towards arguments against cultural diversity regulation. Nonetheless, the other party arguing for cultural diversity regulation can make a strong case too. The lack of flexibilities within the WTO regime and the total disregard of cultural concerns are certainly the starting point there. The proliferation of mainstream content and homogenisation of media outlets possibly another good point to make. Also, the text of the Convention itself and other short documents made available on the thematic page of UNESCO on culture can help you win the case.
Optional reading with some good data is a chapter from the recent UNESCO World Report on Cultural Diversity.

I wish both parties good luck for the preparations and look forward to an interesting discussion next week.

Here are the slides for session 10, only as an add-on to your excellent presentations.

session 9. media globalisation and its discontents.

After the hard work done in getting to know the law of the WTO, this session will be more dynamic and less legalistic.
It will explore the effects of globalisation on media and how states have reacted upon these. We will look in particular at the tension between trade and culture, and at the concept and regulatory objective of cultural diversity. We will also contemplate whether digital media are differently created, distributed and accessed and if so, what the implications of this may be - in particular for promoting creativity and fostering cultural identities.

Reading materials
Burri, Reconciling Trade and Culture: A Global Law Perspective, JAMLS 41:2 (2011)
Anderson, The Long Tail
UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions

Optional:
Time's Person of the Year: You, 2006
The Economist, The Clash of Clouds, Oct. 2009

All readings will be of immediate help for those who will present during the interactive session on cultural diversity. They also give a good intro to the session on the challenges and opportunities for global media law.

Here are the slides for session 9.

session one. introduction and overview of the core themes

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 answered are: What are the economic and societal justifications for regulating media? Have these rationales been modified over time as the media landscape has been profoundly changed? What is international media law? What are its building blocks and how are they reflected in the course's structure?

Reading materials
Benkler, The Wealth of Networks, chapter 1 (also useful for subsequent sessions)
Flew, New Media: An Introduction
Sauvé and Steinfatt, Multilateral Rules on Trade and Culture (only pages 326-339; the entire article for session No 9)

Optional: Jenkins, Convergence? I Diverge
Burri, New Technologies, New Patterns of Consumer/Business Behaviour and Their Implications for Audiovisual Media Regulation

The slides of session one are here. For the subsequent ones, I will make them available shortly before the lecture.