Digital Music & Media

CML1105Digital Media Syllabus 2013A unique seminar course, Digital Music & Media covers the latest legal developments regarding digital music, online movies, e-books and more. Together we canvas legal, cultural, commercial and technological aspects of the media industries in countries around the world.

For example, we cover:

  • The business. Find out who’s got what rights, and how key players in cultural industries can turn those into hard cash.
  • Sampling & mash-ups. The art of making music is changing. How much sampling is legit, and how can you help shape the rules of remixing?
  • File sharing. With the genie out of the bottle, what can be done to build new business models from old plastic discs?
  • Rights management. Despite nave believes, digital locks will not stop downloading of any e-media. Learn about better strategies to cope with new trends.
  • Intermediaries’ liability. What’s the role of online intermediaries: Dumb pipes or copyright cops?
  • And much more.

The course objective is to think broadly about the policies that affect the future of digital media, and ultimately, the creation and consumption of our own culture. Through our classes and your major assignment, I also want to provide a solid grounding in the legal issues and professional practice of digital media and entertainment law in Canada and elsewhere.

Download the PDF version of the syllabus, or subscribe to the course calendar.

What Do We Read?

No printed casebook or edited materials exist in this field, so I’ve created lessons that link you directly to the key cases, scholarly literature, news reports, blog postings and other resources you’ll need to learn about our subject.

How Are We Marked?

Students in the course will complete a research project to deepen their understanding of an area of particular interest to them, and to articulate their own views on the issues. Extensive student-professor interaction and feedback on interim deliverables ensure high calibre results.

Where’s it Taught?

I’m based at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law, and that’s mainly where I teach Digital Music & Media, among other courses. In the winter of 2013, we meet for seminars on Mondays from 15h00 to 17h00 and Wednesdays from 08h30 to 10h30 in room 102 of the law school.