Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Media Law
Teaching staff
To be arranged with faculty.
Introduction
The subject aims to introduce students to the legal framework in which the journalistic profession operates. Thus it has become an approach that integrates the essential theoretical aspects of daily practice domain in which the reporter is immersed today.
Pre-course requirements
No pre-course requirements are needed to enrol in this subject.
Objectives
- Knowledge: to recognise the Constitution as supreme law, as well as the identification of the powers of the state and its legal production, the system of rights and freedoms and the structure of Spain as Estado de las Autonomías.
- Skills: distinction of institutions and constitutional principles.
- Attitudes: start a humanistic approach to the text of the Constitution, especially in regard to the higher values of the legal system: freedom, equality, justice and political pluralism.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 02 CG - The ability to learn and act an autonomously and responsibly
- 04 CG - The ability to organise time and workspace
- 06 CG - The ability to read, analyze and synthesize
- 08 CG - The ability to reflect and memorize.
- 10 CG - Knowledge and mastery of bibliographic repertoires
- 11 CG - Knowledge and mastery of different research resources
- 16 CE - The ability to make judgments and well-argued critical assessments
- 18 CE - Ability to detect newsworthy events
- 26 CE - The ability to understand and apply the legal dimension of a journalistic product
Learning outcomes of the subject
The student will recognise the legal position of citizens in the rule of law and will be familiar with the professional references of a court reporter.
Students:
- Will learn basic knowledge of economics, law geography and history in order to be able to understand some of the major problems of modern society.
- They will internalize a complex vision of contemporary societies.
- They will understand how to spot trends.
- They will be able to analyze society and forge a critical and independent spirit.
- They will develop abilities to perform better during teamwork and create positive synergies.
- They will get detailed knowledge about the origins of mankind and its organization, culture, religion and privacy.
Syllabus
Topic 1. Introduction to the theory of the State: 1. Need for a political order. 2. Basic elements of the State. 3. The Constitutional State. 4. The Spanish case: the 1978 Constitution. 5. The structure of the 1978 Constitution.
Topic 2. The Constitution and its guarantees: 1. Constitutional jurisdiction. 2. The constitutional reform. 3. The Right of Exception.
Topic 3. The functions of the State: 1. The legislative function. 2. Executive function. 3. The judicial function.
Topic 4.- Controls between powers: Control institutions: 1. Political control. 2. Legal control.
Topic 5. Freedom of information: 1. Introduction: freedom of expression and freedom of information. 2. The content of freedom of information. 3. The power to investigate.
Topic 6. The dissemination of Information (I). 1. Subject. 2. Television
Topic 7. The dissemination of Information (II). 1. Internet. 2. Copyright.
Topic 8. Receive information. 1. The right to receive information. 2. Freedom of information in the world. 3. Freedom in the Right to information. 4. Universality and the Right to information.
Topic 9. The right to Information and the truth. 1. The constitutional requirement of truthfulness. 2. Truthfulness and rectification. 3. Misinformation.
Topic 10. The rights of the information professional: 1. The conscience clause. 2. Professional secrecy.
Topic 11. Freedom of expression. 1. Foundation. 2. Content. 3. Social function.
Topic 12. Court journalism. 1. Introduction. 2. Criminal jurisdiction.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Through various training activities (oral presentations, text analysis, synthesis of content posted on the lectures) it is intended that the student is able to gain critical thinking, autonomy in the development of work in addition to knowledge presented in each one of the thematic units of the course.
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | ECTS CREDITS |
| Lectures. In lectures, lecturers/professors not only transmit content or knowledge, but also, and above all else, attitudes, motivation, skills and values, etc. They also ensure that participants can express their opinions and arguments to the other students. | 3.6 |
| Coaching. Monitoring how students learn the content of the subject, either individually or in groups. In the coaching sessions, mistakes will be corrected, queries answered, and exercises and activities to achieve the established objectives will be suggested. | 0.6 |
| Focused Praxis. Handing in occasional exercises to learn theory through practice. | 1.2 |
| Seminar. This activity will consist of taking an in-depth look at specific up-to-date topics in a monographic manner-in some cases these topics will have been debated socially-, via active work in small groups. | 0.6 |
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The subject will be evaluated through practical exercises, a partial exam and the final exam. The practical exercises and the partial exam account for 40% of the final grade for the subject. The final exam represents 60% of the final grade for the subject. In order to take the final exam of the subject, you must have attended 80% of the classes.
Students who have not obtained a minimum of 5 in the final grade for the subject must apply for the second call. The second call exam will cover the entire subject.
For the third and subsequent calls, it will not be mandatory for students to attend class and follow the continuous evaluation and, therefore, they may be evaluated only with the final exam.
The faculty's regulations regarding spelling mistakes and plagiarism will be strictly observed.
Bibliography and resources
In the class lectures, mandatory or suggested readings will be offered. Basic bibliography:
ALANDETE, David. Fake news: la nueva arma de destrucción masiva. Ed. Deusto. 2019.
ALVAREZ CONDE, Enrique. Curso de Derecho Constitucional, 2 vols. Ed. Tecnos (6 ª edición), 2008.
AZURMENDI, Ana. Derecho de la información: guía jurídica para profesionales de la comunicación. Eunsa, 2001.
AZURMENDI, Ana. Derecho de la Comunicación. Guía jurídica para profesionales de los Medios. Eunsa, 2016.
BALAGUER CALLEJÓN, Francisco (coord.). Manual de derecho constitucional. 2 vols. Ed. Tecnos. 14ª Ed. 2019.
BALAGUER CALLEJÓN, María Luisa. Derecho de la información y de la comunicación. Ed. Tecnos. 2016.
BARCELO, M., Vintró, J. (coords.). Derecho Público de Cataluña. Atelier, 2011.
ESCOBAR DE LA SERNA, Luis. Derecho de la Información. Dykinson, 2004.
MOLAS, Isidre. Derecho Constitucional. Tecnos, 2009.
ORTEGA GUTIERREZ, David. Manual de Derecho de la Información. Editorial Universitaria Ramón Areces, 2003.
SANJURJO REBOLLO, Beatriz. Manual de Derecho de la Información. Una perspectiva legal para un mundo cada día más mediático. Dykinson (2009).
URIAS, Joaquín. Principios de derecho de la información. Ed. Tecnos. 3ª Ed. 2014.
VV.AA. Santiago MUÑOZ MACHADO (ed.). Comentario mínimo de la Constitución Española. Ed. Crítica. 1ª Ed. 2018.