Commentary Sheikh Khalid bin Mahfouz, one of the world’s richest men, has made an academic publisher withdraw a controversial book. But it is the UK libel system that allows the rich and powerful to stifle investigation, writes Padraig Reidy, news editor of Index on Censorship. (Sept. 7, 2007)
CommentaryThe principal legacy of disgraced media mogul Conrad Black, convicted in July of fraud and obstruction of justice, is “libel chill,” writes Toronto Star business columnist David Olive. For decades he used libel writs to neuter coverage of his activities. As a result, reporters and editors across the land engaged in the longest period of…
NewsOttawa (July 30, 2007) — One year after relations between the Parliamentary Press Gallery and the Harper government hit rock bottom, some observers see signs that restrictions on media access to politicians is forcing journalists to dig deep and produce better political stories. Sharda Vaidyanath reports in The Epoch Times.
NewsAug. 1, 2007 – The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee has voted in favor of an amended federal shield law that would protect newsgatherers who derive “financial gain or livelihood” from journalistic activity, including freelancers and advertising-supported bloggers. The next step is a vote in the U.S. Senate. Read the Society of Professional Journalists…
CommentaryMumsnet, a community website where women give advice, support and friendship, has apologized to a controversial childcare guru who sued over disparaging comments posted by some of its users. Mumsnet co-founder Justine Roberts, writing in the Press Gazette, says it’s time Britain’s libel laws caught up with the digital age and stopped treating web forums like…
Tip SheetNumbers don’t lie – or do they? The conclusions drawn from a computer-assisted reporting (CAR) investigation could be incorrect or tarnish the reputation of a person or company. Making sure the story is accurate, complete and libel-proof is as important as re-checking the math. Toronto Star investigative reporter Rob Cribb and University of King’s…
Nearly two-thirds of the Earth’s population live in places where the press is not free or only partly free, according to the annual global survey of press freedom released by the New York-based think tank Freedom House. Read the May 1, 2007 news report in Editor and Publisher.
CommentaryA routine request for a photo of a dog found in a court file shows how secretive Canada’s courts can be, says Toronto Star legal affairs reporter Tracey Tyler. It also raises questions about who will call the shots on a new liaison committee that’s supposed to improve access to the Ontario courts.
NewsSerge Menard, a Bloc Quebecois MP and former journalist, has proposed a shield law to protect the identities of journalists’ confidential sources. Bill C-426, introduced on April 17, 2007, would amend the Canada Evidence Act to restrict when a court can order a journalist to name a source. Those seeking to expose a source would…
NewsOntario’s Ministry of the Attorney General is restricting access to court documents that reveal the name of an alleged victim of a sexual offence, citing a 2005 Criminal Code amendment that forbids the “transmission” of a victim’s identity. But Brian Rogers, a Toronto lawyer who regularly acts for the media, says a court order should…