Law and Media Round Up – 20 May 2013

Mary-Ellen Field, Elle Macpherson’s former adviser, has discontinued her phone-hacking claim against News Group Newspapers, as Media Guardian reports here and The Independent here.

Meanwhile, criminal prosecutions of New Group employees. continue.  On 14 May 2013, the CPS announced that a journalist at the Sun newspaper, a press officer at Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and his partner (not a public official) should be charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.  There was an Inforrm news item on this.

Launch of new survey on the legal experiences and views of journalists and online publishers – Judith Townend

A new survey for journalists and bloggers, which can be found at this link, aims to collect information about their experiences of and views on libel and privacy law

Law and Media Round Up – 13 May 2013

The Guardian is attempting to overturn the Attorney General’s veto of the publication of Prince Charles’ correspondence with seven Government departments. An application for judicial review was heard over two days last week by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, with Lord Justice Davis and Mr Justice Globe.

Law and Media Round Up – 6 May 2013

On 3 May 2013, journalists, lawyers, academics and campaigners marked World Press Freedom Day. Article 19 launched ‘The Right to Blog’ – a new policy paper “that calls for lawmakers to better promote and protect the rights of bloggers domestically and internationally“.

Law and Media Round Up – 29 April 2013

The biggest news of the week is that the Defamation Bill received Royal Assent and is now the Defamation Act 2013, three years after the publication of Lord Lester’s original Defamation Bill. Inforrm reported the news and context here; a commentary by Jo Glanville, director of English PEN, can be found here. Robert Sharp, also of English PEN, has dissected some of the detail here and here. A report in Belfast Telegraph reports that Index on Censorship is questioning Stormont’s decision to block the Act from becoming law in Northern Ireland.

Law and Media Round Up – 22 April 2013

There are two key developments in Parliament to report this week: the House of Commons rejected proposals to stop corporations suing for defamation unless they can show serious financial loss. After a short debate the House approved a Government motion to disagree with Amendment No.2 by 298 votes to 230. Justice Minister Helen Grant said the government was “prepared to consider actively that aspect of the Lords amendment further, and we will listen carefully to the views expressed in both Houses”.

Law and Media Round Up – 15 April 2013

The round up is back, following a break over Easter.  The Defamation Bill is now coming to the end of its passage through Parliament. On 16 April 2013 it will be back before the Commons on “ping pong”, the stage at which the Commons considers new amendments made by the House of Lords. As Inforrm noted here, in a post examining the detail of the Amendments, there were 16 Lords Amendments. Conservative MP and former Solicitor-General, Sir Edward Garnier, has sought to remove Amendment 2.

Law and Media Round Up – 25 March 2013

Last week’s round up came just ahead of the announcement that all three parties had come to an agreement on a Royal Charter [PDF] with accompanying statute. Provisions relating to costs and exemplary damages were inserted into the Crime and Courts Bill, which will be considered by the House of Lords this week (see “In Parliament” below). An amendment was made to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill to protect certain future Royal Charters against being changed by the Privy Council without Parliamentary approval.

Law and Media Round Up – 18 March 2013

Four current or former Mirror journalists were arrested last week by Metropolitan police officers on suspicion of conspiracy to hack mobile telephones, as Inforrm reported here. Those arrested were named as James Scott, editor of the People, Nick Buckley, deputy editor of the People, Tina Weaver, former Sunday Mirror editor, and Mark Thomas, former deputy editor of the Sunday Mirror. This was the first time the Mirror Group was brought into the phone hacking investigation.

Law and Media Round Up – 11 March 2013 [updated]

Two former police officers, an ex-prison officer and another public official have admitted selling information to the Sun. These are the first accused to plead guilty in relation to the investigation into alleged illegal payments by journalists, as reported by Inforrm here.