Media law and ethics in kenya pdf free

Journalism ethics, sources of laws and media law theories. Both regulate the conduct of the individual in society. It ensures that research projects undertaken by aku in kenya is of the highest ethical standard in relation to protecting the dignity and rights of human participants in the study. Everyone who uses the media needs to understand media law because new technologies make it possible for individuals to reach very large audiences. As the leading institution in the regulation of media and in the conduct and discipline of journalists in kenya, one of major functions of the media council of kenya is to promote high professional standards amongst journalists. Fellow 19981999 fellows program weatherhead center for international affairs harvard university 1737 cambridge street, cambridge, ma 028 july 1999. The courts have backed away from direct bans, and have instead allowed local standards las vegas can be different from. Media law and ethics there was a time when criticizing the government or a political leader was illegal. The role of codes of conduct and practice of journalism and the obligations of media practitioners in the promotion of individual and collective good is explored.

The impact of kenyas legal and institutional frameworks on media. This database can be sorted by keywords or by using the advanced search. Authoritarian lawit is under the control of the governing elites. Present a succinct answer with reference to historical facts. Codes can be selected by type of organization, topic, region, year created or updated and country. Media law, ethics, and policy in the digital age is a key resource on the challenges, opportunities, issues, controversies, and contradictions of digital technologies in relation to media. The law takes the view that nuisance has to be persistent and annoying to make it actionable. The council is the leading institution in the regulation of media and the conduct and discipline of journalists in kenya. You cover a charity walk and the charity gives you a free tshirt or lunch thats provided to everyone there.

Project muse promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. Omolo ochilo abstract the writer in his paper seeks to discuss the concept of press freedom and the role of the media in kenya. Libertarianism free press theorypress is free to inform citizens. Find institute of commercial managementicm media law and ethics previous year question paper. This cluster is designed for students interested in exploring, learning about, and getting involved in the fascinating world of freedom of thought, freedom of speech and freedom of expression on which democracy is based. Jun, 2011 definition of media law and ethics media law can be defined as laws that regulate the acclivities of the media.

There are more than 90fm radio stations, 14 television stations and a massive number of formal and informal print newspapers and magazines. The media council act, 20 and the kenya information and communications amendment act, 20 association of media women in kenya. It entails the modern ethical dilemma facing media and communication skills. Klrc has an additional mandate of preparing new legislation to give effect to the constitution. Students will analyze key legal and ethical issues that affect journalism and media, with a focus on cases that have shaped media law and theories that help journalism professionals make decisions. Authoritarian law it is under the control of the governing elites. It represents the will of the state and realizes its purpose. Download free sample and get upto 48% off on mrprental. Although not a media law issue, some forms of dancing ranging from topless dancing in the 1960s to lap dancing in the modern era have been defended as artistic expressions that are worthy of first amendment protection. But the constitution imposes certain reasonable restrictions. The impact of kenyas legal and institutional frameworks. Administrative appeals tribunal act 1975 australia.

Safety protocol and manual launch 18 august 2014 ict cabinet secretarys courtesy. If medical ethics exist in the profession of medicine and legal ethics exist in the profession of law, there is no reason why journalistic. In 1788 when australia was discovered, we adopted the british legal system from sir arthur philip. The accountable journalism database compiles international codes of media ethics from around the world and is the largest resource of its kind. It is through law that the government fulfils its promises to the people. James aggery orengo, who is also a senator, to file a petition challenging the kenya information and communication amendment bill 20. Laws are generally based on the moral principles of society. This act may be cited as the public officer ethics act, 2003. This book can be downloaded for free from the library, the. Code of conduct means the code of conduct for journalists and media. Development media theory media support for an existing political regime. The course examines the bases of mass media law and looks at legal, social and ethical obligations of journalists and media institutions. Ethics is not defined in kenyan law but it can be stated to relate to the rules of conduct recognised in respect to a particular class of human action or a particular group or culture. As in many other jurisdictions the legal profession in kenya is governed by a regulatory framework comprising statutory provisions, a series of subordinate legislation a digest of professional conduct and etiquette and a number of guidance documents issued by the law society of kenya as the regulatory body.

The field covers many varied and highly controversial topics, ranging from war journalism to benetton ad campaigns media ethics promotes and defends values such as a universal respect for. Legal ethics, rules of conduct and the moral compass. Law and morality are intimately related to each other. Pdf ethical media communications is a vital aspect of governance. The word ethics is derived from the latin ethos meaning character. Revised edition 2009 2003 published by the national council for law reporting with the authority of the attorney general. Introduction to communications law communication law and. Law and the mass media in kenya michigan state university. The following expressions contained in this law shall have the meanings given hereunder.

Theories of the press in discussing the symbiotic relationship between the media and government, it is essential to look at the philosophical and political rationales that undergird media politics in general. In nigeria, media laws are legislations made by the government in power at the federal, state, and local government levels, to control or regulate the activities of the press in a part or all parts of nigeria. Media law and ethics is a comprehensive overview and a thoughtful introduction to media law principles and cases as well as related ethical concerns relevant to the practice of professional communication. Then there are laws that regulate the functioning of mass media in india. Notable figures include and robert hauptman who focused his work specifically on censorship, privacy, access to information, balance in collection development, fair use, and codes of ethics, rafael capurro, barbara j. Code of conduct for the practice of journalism in kenya. The code of conduct for the practice of journalism as entrenched in the second schedule of the media act 20 governs the conduct and practice of all media practitioners in the country.

Pdf media law, ethics and policy in the digital age. The impact of kenyas legal and institutional frameworks on. These laws prohibit the publication of obscene and harmful literatures, articles and acts that are likely to destroy the morality of the public. For instance, both law and medical ethics address to issues of confidentiality, euthanasia, abortion. Kenya s media are preparing to launch a challenge to a new system of regulation introduced by president uhuru kenyatta. Kenya law reports kenya laws kenya legal news kenya property law. This section contains free ebooks and guides on law books, some of the resources in this section can be viewed online and some of them can be downloaded. In nigeria, media laws are legislations made by the government in power at the federal, state, and local government levels, to control or regulate the activities of the press in a. Kenya code of conduct for journalists and the mass media. Sometimes media in autocracies or under military rule are not all free. The media council of kenya is a statutory body established in october 2007 by the media act cap 411b as the leading institution in the regulation of media and the conduct and discipline of journalists. Published by the association of media women in kenya laws governing media practice in kenya a journalists handbook this publication is a simpli. In kenya, several legal and administrative instruments exist for controlling the press, which are to be found. Thus, new legislation and court decisions give rise to changes of the law and new ethical issues emerge in response to challenges created by new technology, law or other influence.

The media in kenya is a diverse and vibrant growing industry. Pdf media ethics in journalism and mass communication. Media council of kenya code of conduct for the practice of journalism 5 b in the same vein, publication of photographs showing mutilated bodies, bloody incidents and abhorrent scenes should be avoided unless the publication or broadcast of such photographs will serve the public interest. The course aims to form and train professionals that will make difference in their professions and help students become experts in their own field understanding rules and principles of applied ethics and legal requirements. You may be offered an expensive meal, a weekend getaway, or electronic gear.

Media law is a very broad body of law that incorporates elements of and trademark law, contract law, defamation and privacy law, etc miller, 2003. Vernacular or communitybased languages are commonly used in broadcast media. Feel free to use the past paper as you prepare for your upcoming examinations. Media laws are regulations which guide day to day operations of the media. Mass media and the freedom of speech in kenya introduction for many years human rights activists, different organizations, and trade unions of kenya have ceaselessly fought for the basic human rights inclusion of the legislation process to become part of the law. Research and publications in the field of information ethics has been produced since the 1980s. Dec 17, 2012 media law and ethics notesmedia law and ethics open book exam question 1 2 points where do the laws in australia come from. Freedom of religion, press, speech, assembly and petition are fundamental to democracy and are considered among the foundations of civilization in the united states of america, the cornerstone of speech and press law is the first amendment to the constitution. Introduction to communications law communication law and ethics. Media law and ethics question paper education in kenya. It is indeed difficult to dissociate the legal and ethical basis of the professional duties of doctors. If medical ethics exist in the profession of medicine and legal ethics exist in the profession of law, there is no reason why journalistic ethics should not exist in the profession of journalism.

Ethics are the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group or culture. Interpretation in this code of conduct a person subject to this act means a journalist, media practitioner, foreign journalist or media enterprise. Semester 4 journalism college, media institute in delhi. Media in kenya includes more than 91 fm stations, more than 64 free to view tv stations and an unconfirmed number of print newspapers and magazines. Buy media law and ethics by m neelamalar pdf online.

Other gifts may have strings attached, and not in obvious ways. Freedom of the media kenya law reform commission klrc. Section 5 synthesises the issues that arise and section 6 draws conclusions and makes recommendations for the future. Media ethics is the best division of applied ethics dealing with the specific ethical principles and standards of media, including broadcast media, film, theatre, the arts, print media and the internet. Accessibility all citizens must have access to knowledge of the law directly or through intermediaries. Social responsibility theoryfreedom of the media has to be balanced with social responsibility. Lecture notes welcome to our free kenya law lecture notes. The code of conduct for the practice of journalism as entrenched in the. This is the fi rst textbook to explicitly integrate both media law and ethics within one volume. Nuisance this is where you might stake out someone in their home. When individuals make the decision to become a part of the media world, they must be sure to operate with a certain degree of uprightness and morality. Early this month, jointly with the law society of kenya lsk, journalists instructed senior lawyer mr.

Article 19 of the 1948 universal declaration of human rights udhr states. Media policy objective to promote the existence of free and pluralistic media which reflect a diversity of ideas and opinions to sustain an atmosphere free from censorship and arbitrary controls on the flow of information to ensure that means of communication are used for the benefit of all people of kenya. Publications mainly use english as their primary language of communication, with some media houses employing swahili. Law is a set of universal rules that are framed, accepted when usually enforced. Nov 20, 2015 this course will explore the theory, history, and ethical issues associated with free speech and free press areas of the first amendment. Laws governing media practice in kenya i contents section a 1. Media law the following is the unofficial translation of myanmars newly enacted media law. Ethics on the other hand define how individuals prefer to interact with one another. Introduction to mass mediamedia law and ethics wikibooks.

This course will help you understand the basic protections and restrictions of legal precedent, as well as to see and deal with the ethical problems and dilemmas journalists face. In this act, unless the context otherwise requirescode of conduct and ethics means, for a public officer, the code of conduct and ethics established under part ii for that public officer. Media ethics in kenya an analytical explanation of the code of conduct and practice of journalism in kenya. Recognising that freedom of speech is a basic element of a democratic society and that free and independent mass media are among the most important institutions in a democratic society. A comparative introduction to media laws and ethics where media laws and the issues of ethics are derived in constitutional societie the relevance of laws s and ethics to modern journalism the differencedistinction between objective journalism and the socalled yellow journalism. Development media theorymedia support for an existing political regime. Media law and ethics free course by the ohio state. These are all the available lecture notes in this section. Constitutions bill of rights that guarantees freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. Law and ethics are two important terms associated with the science of management. Law and medical ethics are both dynamic and are in a constant state of change with time due to changing circumstances and societal values. Court civil claim commercial speech commission communications congress convicted court decision court held court judge court of appeals court ruled. Media and democracy in africa mutual political bedfellows or implacable archfoes jimmy ocitti, ph. In this code of conduct a person subject to this act means a journalist, media.

Download media law and ethics by m neelamalar pdf online. A free press is greatly intertwined with democracy and governance in a country. Media law and ethics notes media law and ethics open book exam question 1 2 points where do the laws in australia come from. Law of contempt can therefore be said to put a roadblock to free operations of the mass media in the country. Click on the links below to read the relevant lecture notes that will assist you with your law studies. Media law reform and media regulation misa zimbabwe. This means that you are free to share and adapt this work so long as you give appropriate credit, provide a link to.