Media Law, Policy and Ethics

Undergraduate | 2026

Course page banner
Mode icon
Mode
Mode
Your studies will be on-campus, and may include some online delivery
On campus
area/catalogue icon
Area/Catalogue
MDIA 2022
Course ID icon
Course ID
207669
Campus icon
Campus
Adelaide City Campus East, Adelaide City Campus West, Magill
Level of study
Level of study
Undergraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course owner
Course owner
School of Comm, Media and Jour
Course coordinator
Course coordinator
Charlotte Chalklen
Course level icon
Course level
2
Work Integrated Learning course
Work Integrated Learning course
No
Study abroad and student exchange icon
Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
Yes
University-wide elective icon
University-wide elective course
Yes
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
Yes

Course overview

This course explores the legal, ethical and policy regulations and issues affecting media practice. Students will examine how legal and ethical considerations align, intersect and conflict, and consider their impact upon media practitioners, industries and society. Students will analyse approaches to media governance and ethical decision making and analyse the effectiveness of current policies and approaches in adapting to technological and societal change.

  • Contempt, courts and crime
  • Privacy and confidentiality
  • Ethical reasoning in practice
  • Representation, diversity and responsibility
  • Communicating about sensitive issues, understanding trauma and professional self-care
  • Integration and reflection
  • Introduction: Why law, policy and ethics matter
  • Media governance, policy and platform regulation
  • Copyright and intellectual property
  • Defamation

Course learning outcomes

  • Understand and analyse the media laws, policies, and regulatory frameworks in Australia, explaining how they enable or constrain effective media environments.
  • Understand the legal obligations, rights, and ethical considerations affecting media practitioners in the execution of their professional duties.
  • Critically evaluate the challenges and limitations of applying existing media laws and regulations and ethical codes and guidelines to emerging digital and new media environments.
  • Develop critical thinking skills to identify and navigate the complex issues associated with media regulatory frameworks and ethical practice.

Prerequisite(s)

N/A

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A

Availability

Enrol by date
Enrol by date
Fri 13/03/2026
Census date Icon
Census date
Fri 27/03/2026
Last day to W
Last day to W
Fri 10/04/2026
Last day to WF
Last day to WF
Fri 08/05/2026

Class details

Adelaide City Campus East

Group 1

Class number
Class number 24061
Section
Section TU01
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 10
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
26 Feb - 16 Apr Thursday 10:10am - 1pm Adelaide City Campus East Helen Mayo South, S118
7 May - 4 Jun Thursday 10:10am - 1pm Adelaide City Campus East Helen Mayo South, S118
Class number
Class number 24060
Section
Section TU02
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 10
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
24 Feb - 14 Apr Tuesday 2:10pm - 5pm Adelaide City Campus East Helen Mayo South, S118
5 May - 2 Jun Tuesday 2:10pm - 5pm Adelaide City Campus East Helen Mayo South, S118
Class number
Class number 24059
Section
Section TU03
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 9
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
25 Feb - 15 Apr Wednesday 2:10pm - 5pm Adelaide City Campus East Schulz, 408
6 May - 3 Jun Wednesday 2:10pm - 5pm Adelaide City Campus East Schulz, 408
Class number
Class number 24058
Section
Section TU04
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 6
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
26 Feb - 16 Apr Thursday 2:10pm - 5pm Adelaide City Campus East Schulz, 408
7 May - 4 Jun Thursday 2:10pm - 5pm Adelaide City Campus East Schulz, 408
Class number
Class number 24057
Section
Section TU05
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 6
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
25 Feb - 15 Apr Wednesday 10:10am - 1pm Adelaide City Campus East Schulz, 408
6 May - 3 Jun Wednesday 10:10am - 1pm Adelaide City Campus East Schulz, 408
Class number
Class number 23772
Section
Section TU06
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 5
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
27 Feb - 17 Apr Friday 9:10am - 12pm Adelaide City Campus East Helen Mayo South, S118
8 May - 5 Jun Friday 9:10am - 12pm Adelaide City Campus East Helen Mayo South, S118
Class number
Class number 30996
Section
Section TU07
Size
Size 20
Available
Available 1
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
24 Feb - 14 Apr Tuesday 10:10am - 1pm Adelaide City Campus East Playford, P3-33
5 May - 2 Jun Tuesday 10:10am - 1pm Adelaide City Campus East Playford, P3-33
Class number
Class number 30995
Section
Section TU08
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 7
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
27 Feb - 17 Apr Friday 1:10pm - 4pm Adelaide City Campus East Helen Mayo South, S118
8 May - 5 Jun Friday 1:10pm - 4pm Adelaide City Campus East Helen Mayo South, S118

Magill

Group 1

Class number
Class number 23771
Section
Section TU06
Size
Size 20
Available
Available 17
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
8 May - 5 Jun Friday 9:10am - 12pm Magill Building C, C2-43
27 Feb - 17 Apr Friday 9:10am - 12pm Magill Building C, C2-43
Class number
Class number 24054
Section
Section TU01
Size
Size 20
Available
Available 13
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
24 Feb - 14 Apr Tuesday 9:10am - 12pm Magill Building C, C2-42
5 May - 2 Jun Tuesday 9:10am - 12pm Magill Building C, C2-42
Class number
Class number 23767
Section
Section TU02
Size
Size 20
Available
Available 7
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
24 Feb - 14 Apr Tuesday 1:10pm - 4pm Magill Building C, C2-43
5 May - 2 Jun Tuesday 1:10pm - 4pm Magill Building C, C2-43
Class number
Class number 23768
Section
Section TU03
Size
Size 20
Available
Available 8
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
25 Feb - 15 Apr Wednesday 1:10pm - 4pm Magill Building C, C2-43
6 May - 3 Jun Wednesday 1:10pm - 4pm Magill Building C, C2-43
Class number
Class number 23769
Section
Section TU04
Size
Size 20
Available
Available 4
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
26 Feb - 16 Apr Thursday 9:10am - 12pm Magill Building C, C2-43
7 May - 4 Jun Thursday 9:10am - 12pm Magill Building C, C2-43
Class number
Class number 23770
Section
Section TU05
Size
Size 20
Available
Available 9
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
26 Feb - 16 Apr Thursday 1:10pm - 4pm Magill Building C, C2-43
7 May - 4 Jun Thursday 1:10pm - 4pm Magill Building C, C2-43

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