Media Law Journal

The Media Law Journal, published by Steven Price, focuses on issues related to media law including defamation, responsible communication in the public interest, media regulation, and the interaction between different media oversight bodies such as the Media Council and the Broadcasting Standards Authority. It covers legal analysis of media complaints, accuracy in reporting, corrections and retractions, and jurisdictional questions concerning broadcasting standards, especially in the context of new media platforms. The blog also discusses the implications of legal decisions on media practices and public interest journalism.

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By: Steven Price

Latest from Media Law Journal - Page 2

There’s a sort of maxim we talk about in defamation classes in law school. It illustrates a point, and it’s good for a chuckle. “It’s not defamatory to call a crook an honest person”. Because it’s only defamatory if it…

I have long been frustrated that the BSA seems to have defined the balance standard almost out of existence. Balance isn’t required because the thing you’re complaining about wasn’t the focus of the programme. Or the programme’s not controversial. Or…

I’ve written to Dr Adam Shenk at the Canadian Centre for Substance and Addiction, which wrote the report containing new (two-drink) guidelines.

He says that while Health Canada commissioned the guidelines, it has not posted them or endorsed them. He…

So now I’ve heard from Virginia Nicholl of the NZ Alcohol and Beverages Council. She says that the 2-drink guideline is not official Canadian government policy, and refers me to this link and Eric Crampton’s analysis here.

This getting…

Well, this is interesting.

After writing the post below, I was contacted by Andrew Galloway, the Executive Director of Alcohol Healthwatch. Guess what? He says the 2-drink guideline is in fact official Canadian policy. He refers to an email from…

It was bound to happen sooner or later.

Complaints are being made to both the Media Council and the Broadcasting Standards Authority about basically the same stories. And they’re reaching different conclusions.

How can this happen? Easily. Let’s say Radio…