The media industry, laws and policies research areas finds its roots in the study of the political economy of communication and media, as well as critical and cultural studies.

It examines the laws, policies, institutions and infrastructures that undergird media industries. Global media and economic systems have become increasingly complex in recent years due to the expansion of the internet, digital technologies, and globalization. It explores the legal and economic infrastructure of media industries and their influence on freedom of expression, privacy, human rights, creative labor, the production of culture, and other areas.

recent research by our faculty has addressed:

• Privacy and surveillance online and in mobile technologies
• The changing meaning of surveillance and privacy
• How Jamaican popular music challenges the colonial underpinnings of copyright law
• Pirate radio
• The ethical and legal implications of child-targeted advertising
• Consumer culture and branding 

Courses

Students who have an interest in media industry, laws and policies are encouraged to enroll in the following courses.

• Content analysis
• Critical analysis of mass media
• Emerging media and communication
• Communication institutions
• Historical methods
• Political communication