Comparative Media Law and Ethics

Providing practical and theoretical resources on media law and ethics for the United Kingdom and United States of America and referencing other legal jurisdictions such as France, Japan, India, China and Saudi Arabia, Comparative Media Law and Ethics is suitable for upper undergraduate and postgraduate study and for professionals in the media who need to work internationally.

The book focuses on the law of the United Kingdom, the source of common law, which has dominated the English speaking world, and on the law of the USA, the most powerful cultural, economic, political and military power in the world. Media law and ethics have evolved differently in the US from the UK. This book investigates why this is the case.

In one chapter Tim Crook considers other media law jurisdictions:

• common law – a focus on India – the biggest democracy in the world and largest middle class


• civil law – a focus on France – the influential founder of the European Union and host country for ECHR at Strasbourg


• socialist law – a focus on China – the country with the highest economic growth and largest population


• Islamic law – a focus on Saudi Arabia – one of the most influential sources of legal religiosity

Tim Crook analyses media law, as it exists, the ethical debates concerning what the law ought to be, and the historical development of legal and regulatory controls of communication. Underlying concepts discussed include the subject of media jurisprudence – the study of the philosophy of media law, media ethicology – the study of the knowledge of ethics/morality in media communication, and media ethicism – the belief systems in the political context that influence journalistic conduct and content. Throughout, media law and regulation is evaluated in terms of its social and cultural context.The book has a Companion Website at: http://www.ma-radio.gold.ac.uk/cmle providing complementary resources and updated developments on the topics explored.

Tim Crook is Senior Lecturer in Media Law and Ethics and Head of Radio at Goldsmiths College, University of London, as well as being a Visiting Instructor on Media Law to the British Broadcasting Corporation. He has worked professionally in radio, theatre, television and film as a journalist, producer, director and sound designer for more than 30 years and has won more than 60 awards for drama, journalism and production. His previous publications include Radio Drama (1999) and International Radio Journalism (1997).