NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

UNIVERSITY VILLAGE, PLOT 91, CASDASTRAL ZONE, NNAMDI AZIKIWE EXPRESS WAY, JABI, ABUJA.
FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 EXAMINATION

COURSE CODE:                     JLS 812

COURSE TITLE:                     MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS

UNIT:                                      3

INSTRUCTION:          ANSWER ANY FOUR QUESTIONS                TIME:            3 HOURS

1. As a student of Media Law, a public figure seeks your advice on how to establish that an action against him/her is defamatory in a law court. Explain to him/her at list four points to prove that an action is defamatory in a law court.

2. (a)        Make clear distinctions between Laws and Ethics.

(b)        Why is it that only human beings are concerned with ethics?

(c)        In which ways do laws relate to ethics?

3. Discuss ethical and sub-ethical theories. Relate each to journalism practice in Nigeria.

4. (a)        In what ways do you think people can recognise man-made laws?

2.       Prove the importance of law to your country

5. You have been working for a newspaper outfit as a reporter covering laws and legal matters for the past eight years. Suddenly, your colleague, who is less than a year on the job, was prosecuted and sentenced for contempt of court. What are the likely unprofessional fouls may he/she have committed to deserve this?

6. Your newspaper was indicted for publishing a defamatory news story concerning a celebrity in Nigeria. As the editor of the newspaper, defend the defamatory allegation with at least five of the justifications against defamation.