Economy, Media Policy and Regulation

Objectives

  1. To grasp the interconnection between independent regulators and freedom of the press in the context of media governance;
  2. To understand the teleology and the fundamental values on which is constitutional and legally anchored the regulation of the media at the national, European and supra-national levels;
  3. To scrutinize the complexity of key concepts of regulation, such as freedom, pluralism and diversity, from a multidisciplinary perspective;
  4. To understand the changes in the media markets and the main factors underlying them;
  5. To develop a critical approach of the adequacy of public policies and the institutional architecture of regulation to the accelerated transfiguration of the media field and inherent risks, threats and opportunities;
  6. To analyze practical cases of regulatory intervention with the aim to harmonize freedom with social responsibility and accountability.

General characterization

Code

02107767

Credits

10.0

Responsible teacher

Luís Filipe Leite de Castro de Oliveira Martins

Hours

Weekly - 3

Total - 280

Teaching language

Portuguese

Prerequisites

Available soon

Bibliography

- Cádima, F.R. (coord.), Diversidade e Pluralismo nos Media, ICNova, 2019.
- Doyle, G., Understanding Media Economics, 2nd edition, Sage, 2013.
- European University Institute/CMPF, Monitoring Media Pluralism in the Digital Era - Country report: Portugal, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, 2022.
- Lunt, P., Livingstone, S., Media Regulation: Governance and the Interests of Citizens and Consumers, Sage, 2012.
- Martins, L.O., Concentração dos Media e Pluralismo - A Imprensa Portuguesa no Contexto da União Europeia, Editora LabCom, 2015.
- Rimscha, M.B. (ed.), Management and Economics of Communication. Handbooks of Communication Science, De Gruyter Mouton, 2020.

Teaching method

This curricular unit explores a theoretical-practical approach, with participatory work, immersion in contexts and development of students' investigative skills. It focuses on the discussion of relevant bibliography and on the presentation of national and European practical cases. The sessions will also include conferences by invited key players from the regulation area. It is expected that there will be moments of individual monitoring of the work to be presented at the end of the semester.

Evaluation method

- Individual final work, related to one of the program's topics - includes oral presentation with discussion, and written paper.
- Active participation in the sessions.

Subject matter

- The media in the 21st century: characteristics and specificities.
- Business models, competition and globalization in the media sector.
- Media regulation and the public interest.
-The European Union, the Council of Europe and the european policies for the media.
- Pluralism and diversity in the media: concepts and rationalities.
- The European Commission's approach (MPM) to monitoring pluralism in the media.
- Public Service Operators: alternative models and current debates.
- Media regulation in Portugal.

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: