Mass Media and Their Role in the Mechanism of Legal Regulation

The aim of this thesis is to show how mass media can affect the legislative process. This is shown generally as well as specifically - using the legislative process in the Czech Republic as an example, which is illustrated by a specific case, in which media pressure resulted in the change of legislation. This thesis is divided into four chapters. The first two are theoretical, the third chapter presents a case study and the last chapter draws conclusions from the previous three. The first chapter shows law as an open system, which develops while communicating with the other subsystems of society. Sociological approach to law is presented, as well as selected concepts from sociology of law. Some crucial concepts from law theory are defined. The last part of the first chapter presents the legislative process in the Czech Republic, which is being defined in the broad meaning of this concept. The theme of the second chapter is mass media - first its definition, followed by presentation of selected concepts of relationship between mass media and society, with emphasis on agenda-setting and framing. The third chapter presents a case study of a successful campaign for change in legislation - mass media campaign associated with the premiere of the documentary film Smejdi in Czech cinemas. Role of the..