Freedom of Expression and Media Regulation - A Media Legislation Manual

This manual provides a curriculum to promote the development of a media environment that contributes to freedom of expression and information, good governance, and the realisation of human rights. Produced for African journalists, media institutions, and policymakers by Fesmedia Africa, the manual supports Fesmedia's mission to promote: media freedom; access to information; and a policy, legal, and regulatory framework for an independent (no state monopoly) and diverse (public service, commercial, and community) broadcasting sector.

The manual contains the following modules:

• Module 1 - The media: friend or foe - or neither?: looks at the main function of the media, how media houses work, and the relationship between media and politics/politicians.
• Module 2 - Principles of freedom of expression and media freedom: looks at international standards, African Standards, and Freedom of Expression in African Constitutions.
• Module 3 - Balancing act: freedom of expression vs. other rights: looks at legitimate restrictions on freedom of expression, and frequently quoted reasons for exemptions such as state or national security, defamation, "false news", and hate speech.
• Module 4 - self-regulation versus statutory regulation of the media: looks at professional standards, implementing the standards (statutory vs. self regulatory systems), and licensing publications or journalists.
• Module 5 - Print media legislation: looks at the basics of press law.
• Module 6 - The right of access to information: looks at principles of access to information, most frequently listed reasons for exemptions, general rule for limitations of access to information, the public interest override, organisational procedures for access to information, and protection of whistle blowers.
• Module 7 - Broadcasting: looks at the need for regulation, and types of broadcasting.
• Module 8 - Broadcasting regulator: looks at the broadcasting regulator, types of broadcasting regulations, governance of broadcasting regulators, and what a broadcasting regulator regulates.
• Module 9 - Public service broadcasting: looks at the role of public service broadcasters, governance of public service broadcasters, and funding of public broadcasters.
• Module 10 - Media diversity: looks at the importance of media diversity, the promotion of ownership, tackling different ownership issues, and state-owned media.