ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the framework surrounding media law and journalism ethics in practice. A number of excellent media law books are available which go into greater detail about defamation and other matters of concern to writers and journalists. Bloggers or writers running their own websites or niche magazines ought to seek out friendly advice from someone they know and trust in the media. Negative headlines about the journalism industry have cumulatively had a corrosive effect on its reputation – a reputation that was hardly worth bragging about at the best of times. Journalism – and specifically newspaper journalism – could not continue on a reckless path without casualties. Ultimately the scandal has firmly put ethics into an ongoing conversation the industry is having with itself, its regulator, the public and even with providers of journalism training and education.
