The Journalist's Guide to Media Law: Dealing with Legal and Ethical Issues

Mark Pearson's widely used introduction to media law takes a journalist's perspective. Writing in a clear non-legalistic fashion, he shows how journalists can produce ethical, hard-edged reportage while staying on the right side of the law. He also explains how to negotiate some of the key ethical minefields of day-to-day reporting, focusing on ethical dilemmas which can have legal consequences. This fully revised and much expanded third edition includes new material on defamation, anti-terrorism, and intellectual property to reflect changes in legislation. It offers a comprehensive overview of aspects of law which relate to a journalist's work including defamation, contempt, confidentiality, privacy, trespass, intellectual property, and ethical regulation. Recent cases and examples are used to illustrate key points. Also included is an introduction to the legal system and guidelines on reporting legal issues. Tips, summaries, and a handy flow chart to defamation law make The Journalist's Guide to Media Law a handy reference for professionals and an essential text for students.