RMLNLU MEDIA,

ENTERTAINMENT AND
COMMUNICATIONS LAW
JOURNAL (MEC) - 2014

The Journal Committee,

Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University

MEDIA LAW
Freedom of the media is indeed an integral part of the freedom of expression and is an essential
requisite of a democratic set up. The Indian Constitution has granted this freedom by way of
Fundamental Rights. The media, which is obligated to respect the rights of the individuals, is also
obligated to work within the framework of legal principles and statutes.
The Indian Constitution does not provide freedom for media separately. But there is an indirect
provision for media freedom. It gets derived from Article 19(1) (a). This Article guarantees freedom
of speech and expression. The freedom of mass media is derived indirectly from this Article. Article
19 of our Constitution deals with the right to freedom and it enumerates certain rights regarding
individual freedom of speech and expression etc. These provisions are important and vital, which lie
at the very root of liberty.

WHY MEDIA LAW?

With the advent of mass media communication systems in the 21st century, there has been growing
interest within and outside the legal fraternity to regulate vast variety of legal incidents created
thereof. The need of the hour is a comprehensive periodical to be circulated in this fraternity that
deals with contemporary issues with legal and technical expertise. RMLNLU's first Topic Specific
Journal is the appropriate forum to launch this resource. To that end, the RMCELJ shall strive to
encourage papers with an emphasis on the medias influence on trials, paid advertisements,
manipulation of law by the media, corporate law and the media, the influence of the media on the
implementation of law, international media portrayal of law, law globalization and media, and other
relevant issues.
In addition, the RMCELJ supplements The RMLNLU-SCC Online International Media Law Moot
Court Competition in pioneering meaningful research in Media Law. This consolidation highlights
RMLNLU's role in leading Indian legal research in niche areas. It may lead to the crystallization of
further institutional research and may culminate in the setting up of a Centre for Research and Policy
in Media Law.
2 | Page

EBC- PROSPECTIVE PUBLISHING PARTNER

Established in 1942, the Eastern Book Company (EBC) Group is the intellectual giant in Indian law
publishing, with offices in several Indian cities. It is run by a unique combination of highly qualified
legal, managerial and information technology professionals, who have acquired their expertise,
across generations, from the leading universities and institutes of India, Asia, North America and
Britain.
EBC publishes a wide range of legal commentaries, student texts, law reports and digests, and its
products include pioneering works both in the print and electronic medium. Its large list of
publications includes standard legal texts for professionals, the industry, law students, students of
competitive examinations etc. EBC has done pioneering work, by creating for the first time a
complete index/digest of the case law of the Indian Supreme Court in its 35 volume publication, The
Complete Digest of Supreme Court Cases. Using the finest of technological innovations, EBC has
pioneered law information databases for making law easily accessible in the electronic medium,
appearing in a revolutionary form, as SCC Online's Supreme Court Case Finder.
The EBC is equipped to publish legal periodicals as well. The EBC has undertaken publication of
periodicals such as the Journal of European Competition Law and Practices, the Pakistan
Criminal Law Journal, GNLU Journal of Law, Development and Politics, and the Journal of
International Economic Law among others.
EBC is also the title sponsor of the RMLNLU-SCC Online International Media Law Moot Court
Competition, the flagship moot court competition of this University and has a long standing
association with RMLNLU.

3 | Page

Tentative Dates
Call for Papers: April 1st
Submission Deadline: June 1st
Date of Publication: July 15th

Prospective Patron-in-Chief
Justice Arijit Passayat
Retired Judge of the Supreme Court of India

Patron
Prof. Gurdip Singh
Vice Chancellor, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University

Consulting Editor
Dr. A.P. Singh
Associate Professor, Media Law at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University

4 | Page

Faculty Advisory Board

Prof. (Dr.) Amarpal Singh

Prof. (Dr.) C.M. Jariwala

Head of the Department (Legal Studies),

Dean (Academics),

Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya

Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya

National Law University

National Law University

Tentative Executive Review Panel

Lawyers
1. Mr. Miles Ketley
Partner, Film and TV, Wiggin LLP, UK (Listed as a Gold-Standard Legal Firm by Legal 500)
Handles high-end international production matters for 20th Century Fox; advised HBO on
Game of Thrones and Paramount Pictures for World War Z.
2. Mr. Chris Organ
Senior Partner, Russells Solicitors, UK
(Listed as a Premier Law Firm in the music industry by Legal 500)
Represents George Michael, J.K. Rowling and Roger Waters of the rock band Pink Floyd.
3. Mr. Niri Shanmuganathan
Partner, Taylor Wessing LLP, UK (Listed as a Tier 1 firm for media and entertainment by
Legal 500)
Represents Associated Newspapers, Telegraph Media and Spotify.
4. Mr. Abhishek Malhotra
Partner, TMT Law Practice, India
(India's first boutique media and telecommunications law firm)
5 | Page

Specializes in media and information technology; Member of International Association of

Entertainment Lawyers; Chairperson at the INTA Annual Conference for brand owners in the
BRIC countries (Seattle, 2009)
5. Mr. Shuva Mandal
Partner, AZB & Partners, India
(One of the leading law firms in India)
Has advised HarperCollins, UK; advised on some of the most significant transactions across
the technology, media and telecom sectors.
6. Mr. Anjan Dasgupta
HSA Advocates, India
(One of the leading law firms in India)
Has represented Yash Raj Films, First Data and Dixon Technologies.
7. Mr. Hitesh Jain
Partner, ALMT Legal, India (Listed as a Tier 2 law firm under technology, media and telecom
by Legal 500)
Defended Essel Sports in relation to IPL cricketers.
Professors
8. Ms. Chinmayi Arun:
Assistant Professor, National Law University, Delhi
Assistant Professor of Law NLUD, Director, Centre for Communication Governance, notable
expert on media laws and alumna of London School of Economics
9. Dr. V.C. Vivekanandan
MHRD IP-Chair Professor
Coordinator - NALSAR Proximate Education
Ph.D -NLSIU (Bangalore)
Prof.Vivekanandan specializes in IPR, Cyber Laws and Business Laws and is the Ministry of
Human Resources Development (MHRD) IP Chair Professor. He also coordinates the
NALSAR Proximate Education offering P.G.Diploma in Patents Law, Cyber Laws, Media
Laws and International Humanitarian Laws.

6 | Page

Editors
10. Mr. D. Keshav Rao
Former Executive Editor of the Hindu
11. Mr. Sumeet Malik,
Associate Editor, Supreme Court Cases; Director, Eastern Book Company; Advocate,
Supreme Court
12. Mr. K.S. Sachidananda Murthi
Member, Press Council of India; Editor, Malayala Manorama
In House Legal Counsel of Media Houses
13. Ms. Preeti Gandhi
In House Legal Counsel at Wizcraft International (India's leading entertainment and
advertising agency)

Selection Process

The selection of articles for the journal will involve a three tier process which will begin from
the last date of the call for papers. The articles will be put through plagiarism check upon
arrival.

The second tier will involve a preliminary screening of the articles by members of the
Student Editorial Board of the organising committee. The articles so selected will be
forwarded to the Executive Review Panel.

The Executive Review Panel will consist of experts from the fields of Media Law,
Communications and Entertainment Law. The panel will decide the final standing of articles
to be published in the Journal.

There shall be one Guest Article by the Consulting Editor.

7 | Page

Tentative Budget
Honorariums:
Posters:
Postal Charges:

Rs. 30,000 (Rs. 5,000 x 6)

Rs. 8,000
Rs. 3,000

Printing Costs:

Rs. 60,000 (Cost incurred in absence of a Publishing Partner)

Total:

Rs. 1,01,000.

8 | Page