McNae's Essential Law for Journalists

by Hanna, Mark; Dodd, Mike

• ISBN13: 9780199679102
• ISBN10: 019967910X
• Edition: 22nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2014-08-01
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Sixty years since the first edition published, McNae's Essential Law for Journalists remains the definitive media law handbook for students and journalists. Endorsed by the National Council for the Training of Journalists as the essential text for students and widely used in newsrooms across the UK, McNae's is unrivalled in its accuracy, detail and ease of use.

With its easy-access summaries, clear cross-references and practical advice, McNae's continues to meet the needs of busy journalists who need quick and reliable answers to the questions they face in their day-to-day work while also providing students with authoritative coverage of key media law topics.

A comprehensive website (www.mcnaes.com) accompanies this text, providing a range of resources including regular updates from the authors to help you stay ahead of the law, whether on the job or in exams.

Author Biography

Mike Dodd, Legal Editor, Press Association and member of the NCTJ Media Law Examinations Board, and Mark Hanna, Senior Lecturer, University of Sheffield and Chair of the NCTJ Media Law Examinations Board

Mike Dodd is the Press Association's legal editor and member of the NCTJ Media Law Examinations Board. He is a qualified lawyer with nearly 40 years' experience as a working journalist.

Mark Hanna is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield and Chair of the NCTJ Media Law Examinations Board.

Table of Contents

The landscape of law, ethics and regulation

1: Introduction
2: The Editors' Code of Practice
3: Broadcast regulation

Part 1: Crime, courts and tribunals
4: Crime: media coverage prior to any court case
5: Crimes: categories and definitions
6: Magistrates courts: summary cases
7: Magistrates courts: the most serious criminal cases
8: Criminal cases in the Crown courts and appeal courts
9: Juveniles in criminal and ASBO cases
10: Sexual offences
11: Court reporting restrictions
12: Civil courts
13: Family courts
14: Open justice and access to court information
15: Challenging the courts
16: Coroners' courts
17: Tribunals and public inquiries
18: Contempt of court

Part 2: Defamation and related law
19: Defamation - definitions and dangers
20: The claimant and what must be proved
21: Defences
22: The Reynolds defence
23: The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
24: Slander, malicious falsehood and obscenity

Part 3: Confidentiality, privacy and copyright
25: Breach of confidence
26: Privacy - the developing law
27: News gathering - avoiding intrusion
28: Data protection
29: Copyright

Part 4: Information and expression: rights, sources, and boundaries
30: Freedom of Information Act 2000
31: Other information rights and access to meetings
32: Reporting elections and referendums
33: Official secrets
34: The journalist's sources and neutrality
35: The risks of being charged with bribery, misconduct, hacking or intercepting
36: The right to take photographs, film and record
37: Northern Ireland

Online chapters
38: The incitement of hate
39: Scots law
40: Terrorism and the effect of counter-terrorism law

Appendix 1: Extracts from the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Appendix 2: The Press Complaints Commission Editors' Code of Practice
Appendix 3: OfCom Code