Module manager: Prof Paul Wragg
Email: P.W.Wragg@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
Module will replace LAW3197 Media Freedom.
This module is not approved as a discovery module
A module that provides students with an understanding of some of the key laws that regulate the media. The module will cover laws regulating both traditional media (otherwise known as: the press) and new digital media (e.g. social networking sites). Students will consider the extent to which these media laws uphold fundamental human rights, specifically: Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (freedom of expression) and Article 8 (family and private life).
The module aims to introduce students to the key legal rules in media law as it relates to privacy and discuss how the law is applied with proper reference to both case law and statutes. The knowledge will ensure the students understand the operation of privacy-related media law in both a practical and principled manner.
The learning activities are designed to explain and discuss the key legal principles in this field and help students to develop the skill of applying the law to practical and conceptual problems.
On completion of this module, students should be able to:
Critically analyse and synthesise legal concepts, values, principles, and rules to assess their effectiveness across a range of substantive issues relating to privacy-related aspects of media law;
Synthesise information and legal reasoning to provide a coherent account of the complex legal issues arising when Articles 8 and 10 clash;
Apply legal concepts, authorities, and scholarship from this field to solve complex actual or hypothetical problems relating to privacy-related media law, with well-supported arguments;
Conduct advanced, self-directed legal research, demonstrating intellectual independence and critical engagement;
Effectively communicate complex legal arguments and ideas.
Demonstrate advanced research skills to address complex legal issues, integrating a wide range of quality sources to support reasoned arguments and to inform meaningful conclusions;
Communicate persuasively and effectively to convey complex ideas and legal concepts in a clear and rigorous manner.
This module’s central theme is the interaction between key human rights - specifically the Art 10 ECHR right to free speech and the Art 8 right to privacy – and various laws that regulate traditional and new media. With reference to case law and legal theory, the course enquires into the extent to which these key human rights can be upheld by a range of media laws, including misuse of private information. The module will follow current events and emerging issues in media law, considering, where relevant, high profile cases or events as well as government proposals to regulate the media.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| Seminar | 5 | 1.5 | 7.5 |
| Private study hours | 181.5 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 18.5 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
181.5
A formal formative assessment opportunity will be provided for the summative assessment task, which is specifically pedagogically aligned to that task. As part of this, each student will receive feedback designed to support the development of knowledge and skills that will be later assessed in the summative task.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Coursework | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
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