ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that there are multiple legal contexts for reporting scandals. It describes the scandals are conceptualized as reactive phenomena triggered by media selection, construction, and re-presentation, in real space and cyberspace, of real or perceived violations of established legal, moral, professional, social, and political norms in specific jurisdictions. The chapter explores the legal parameters of media reporting of scandals in the USA, the UK, and Russia. It explains editorial independence, the theoretical framework within which the subject of scandals is approached. The chapter presents an analysis of the legal parameters of reporting scandals in the USA, the UK, and Russia. Scandals are context-specific media and public reactions, sometimes bordering on outrage, to legal offenses and moral shortcomings across a wide spectrum of political, social, cultural, business, financial, economic, media, and especially sexual spheres. The modern British popular press is famous for being the purveyor of scandal and sensational journalism.
