Communications Law - JURD7322

 
Faculty: Faculty of Law
 
 
School:  Faculty of Law
 
 
Course Outline: See below
 
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Postgraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 3
 
 
Enrolment Requirements:
 
 
Prerequisite: LAWS1001 and LAWS1011 and Corequisite: LAWS2311; Prerequisite: JURD7101 and JURD7111 and Corequisite: JURD7211
 
 
Excluded: LAWS3222
 
 
CSS Contribution Charge:Band 3 (more info)
 
 
Tuition Fee:See Tuition Fee Schedule
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
 

Description


The course focuses on the law regulating the structure of electronic communications in Australia. This is a very topical course with current issues including media ownership and control reform, digital broadcasting, regulation of converging technologies (Big Brother!) and a still relatively new communications regulator. The course will cover the regulation of broadcasting services, telecommunications, and online content.


Recommended Prior Knowledge


This course is a companion to JURD7421 Media Law: General Principles.

Course Objectives


The aims of this course are to:
  • Enable students to develop an understanding of the policy considerations which influence broadcasting and telecommunications regulation
  • Provide students with an understanding of laws which govern electronic communications
  • Provide students with an understanding of the variety of regulatory design approaches adopted or available for regulation of the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors
  • Enable students to develop an appreciation of emerging issues in electronic communications regulation
  • Assist students to become familiar with the policy debates and reform discussions relating to the specific legal topics covered in the course
Having completed this course, students should:
  • Have a sound knowledge of the current law in the relevant areas
  • Have some knowledge of the policy background and, where relevant, the history of the current law
  • Be able to form a reasoned view of the consistency of policy objectives and regulatory design
  • Be able to apply the law to practical problems

Main Topics


  • Introduction to the communications regulatory environment
  • The law and regulation
  • Regulating media and communications services: regulating broadcasting and telecommunications infrastructure and services; planning and licensing of services
  • Regulating evolving technology and services: digital case study
  • Competition in the media and telecommunications sector: cross-media and foreign ownership; competition in the telecommunications sector
  • Media content regulation: broadcasting content regulation and enforcement; classification and content
  • Universal service and consumer protection
  • Online regulation

Assessment


Class participation 20%
Research essay 40%
Take-home examination 40%
 

Course Texts


Prescribed

  • A. Grant, ed., Australian Telecommunications Regulation: The Communications Law Centre Guide (UNSW Press, 3rd ed., 2004)
  • Course Materials available from the Bookshop

Recommended
As the course proceeds, additional references which you may find useful will be posted on the WebVista course site, via the Topic Resources link.