ABSTRACT
This is such a difficult area. Partly because it can change – witness the Defamation Act 2013, which redefined how defamation in the media is argued – and also because this is a book for journalists, not for lawyers. What Justice Leveson was clear about was the complete failure of the Press Complaints Commission and the need for reform in press regulation. Parts of the Human Rights Act 1998 focused on protecting privacy, and the Council of European Parliamentary Assembly has tried to educate young journalists about the importance of privacy and how that manifests itself within a media environment. Fundamental to every journalist is the law of defamation – also known as libel in print or slander if spoken – and making sure one does not break it. While some areas of media law will be less applicable to those working in the entertainment field, defamation is ever-present.
