M.A. DEGREE EXAMINATION, NOVEMBER 2017
Third Semester
JMC
MEDIA LAWS AND ETHICS
(CBCS 2014-16 onwards)
Time 3 Hours Maximum 75 Marks
Part A (10 x 2 20)
Answer the questions.
1. Write a note on the Fundamental Rights guaranteed in
the Indian Constitution.
2. What directive principles of state policy mean?
3. Write a note on the Press Registration of Books Act 1867.
4. Write a brief note on the Press Council of India.
5. What do you mean sedition?
6. State the laws dealing with obscenity.
7. Write a note on Cinematograph Act 1952.
8. Define Cyber Crime.
9. Define Ethics.
10. Differentiate code of ethics from a given law.
Sub. Code
515302
RW-767
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Wk 11
Part B x 5 25)
Answer the questions choosing either or
11. How directive principles of state policy differ from
the fundamental rights?
Or
Write a note on the powers and Privileges of the
Indian Parliament.
12. What is your perception about the Working
Journalist (Fixation Rates of Wages) Act 1958?
Or
Write a note on the relevance of Official Secrets Act
1923, in the age where the aggressive use of RTI
that facilitates transparency at least at a limited
level in the Indian bureaucracy/executive.
13. What is Defamation? How it differs from sedition?
Or
Describe the significance of Indian Penal Code in
controlling the crimes in the country.
14. What is intellectual property? How the intellectual
properties are being protected in India? Explain it
with a few examples.
Or
Write a note on the key issues related to
broadcasting regulations in India.
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15. Describe the roles and responsibilities of Editors
Guild of India in framing code of ethics for
journalists in India.
Or
Write a note on the principles and ethics of
journalistic cost.
Part C x 10 30)
Answer any three questions in about 800 words.
16. Investigate, with recent examples, the semantic and
political philosophy behind the idea of free-speech, as
propounded by John Stuart Mill: "...there ought to exist
the fullest liberty of professing and discussing, as a matter
of ethical conviction, any doctrine, however immoral it
may be considered''.
17. Social activist Aruna Roy has described India's RTI Act
as "the most fundamental law this country has seen as it
can be used from the local Panchayat to parliament, from
a nondescript village to posh Delhi, and from ration shops
to the 2G scam". Examine the significance of this
statement with a few recent examples where RTI Act has
been used as a tool to uphold transparency in governance.
18. "The expression 'personal liberty' in article 21 is of the
widest amplitude and it covers a variety of rights, which
go to constitute the personal liberty of man and some of
them have been raised to the status of distinct
fundamental rights and given additional protection under
Article In the light of the above observation of a
Supreme Court Judge, anlayse with suitable examples,
the contemporary status of personal liberty of Indians.
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19. One of the most landmark judgments upholding the right
to free speech in recent times, the Supreme Court struck
down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act,
2000. Discuss the reasons why this judgment is being
lauded by the common man and legal luminaries alike,
who found the Cyber law provision unconstitutional
owing to the restriction it caused to the Indian citizens'
right to free speech.
20. British law is that when a case is sub judice, no
comment can be made on it, whereas U.S. law permits
such comment. In India we may have to take an
intermediate view on this issue: while on the one hand we
have a written Constitution that guarantees freedom of
speech in Article the life and liberty of a citizen
is a fundamental right guaranteed by Article 21 and
should not lightly be jeopardized. Hence, a balanced view
has to be taken on Do you agree with this argument
to have a balanced view on sub judice matters? Explain.