The UK government has announced there will be no new Leveson inquiry into press conduct ... Defamation costs regime under s.40 of the Crime and Courts Act to be repealed ... Press regulation in abeyance despite overwhelming community support for Leveson 2 ... Government appeasement of the publishers ... From Paul Magrath of the Transparency Project ... more
Category: Media Matters
A crisis in reporting the courts
The Society of Editors in the UK recently hosted a seminar at the offices of the Telegraph Group in London about the decline in court reporting ... Paul Magrath, Alice Twaite and Judith Townend were there, representing the Transparency Project ... more
On the royal telephone
Phone hacking settlements in London on the steps of the court … Dirty Harry and fake news … Junk journalism … Dodgy lawyers … Why settle now? … Royal wedding fever … From our London team … more
When the government’s secret documents fall into the hands of the media
Filing cabinets filled with newsworthy fodder ... Memories of Corrections Victoria v Nine Network ... Injunctions ... Privacy ... National security ... Recalling Mason J in Commonwealth v Fairfax ... Nick Bonyhady reports ... more
New official secrets legislation casts an uncertain net
Media organisations combine to oppose foreign interference Bill ... Tighter secrecy measures ... Criminalising of news gathering ... Inadequate defence for journalists in possession of classified information ... Nick Bonyhady files this report ... more
Adhesion contract from hell
Fire & Fury … Steve Bannon and the Trump non-disclosure contract … Does a confidentiality agreement override the First Amendment? … Hannah Ryan weighs the odds … more
Publishers wilt in the face of Chinese government sensitivities
Two more publishers reject Clive Hamilton’s book on Chinese influence in Australian affairs … Unspecified threats of defamation … Foreign government lawfare against free speech in Australia … Nick Bonyhady reports … more
Canada passes law to protect sources
Canadian journalists welcome important new law protecting their confidential sources … Burden of proof shifts from the journalist to those seeking the information … This report from Media Lawyer’s Mike Dodd … more
Can journalists really promise anonymity to their sources?
Investigative journalists rely heavily on their ability to attract and retain the trust of their sources … But can they really promise them anonymity? … Media lawyers Richard Leder, Sanjay Schrapel and Chelsea Ives look at the law, and the reality … more
Zipporah Lisle-Mainwaring v Associated Newspapers
UK High Court strikes out claim brought by London woman against the Daily Mail … Judge Patrick Moloney QC finds attempts by journalists to contact her for a story did not amount to harassment – it was a matter of public interest … Media Lawyer’s Mike Dodd reports … more
Seven Network Limited v South Eastern Sydney Local Health District
Victory for Channel Seven over CCTV footage of assaults at Sydney hospitals … NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal review finds public interest in disclosure outweighs privacy and confidentiality, as long as faces are pixelated … Sebastian Tonkin reports … more
How the Press Council works
The Australian Press Council is the “low-key, light-touch” alternative dispute resolution body that safeguards high journalistic standards … Sara Tomevska looks at who complains and how complaints are adjudicated … more