Yesterday’s announcement by Culture Secretary Karen Bradley that she is “minded” to refer the bid by Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox to the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) is welcome. Continue reading
The International Forum for Responsible Media Blog
Month: June 2017 (Page 1 of 4)
Richard Meechan and Jamie MacSween have succeeded in their libel action against FuelDefend Global Ltd and its chairman, Russell Fowler. At the High Court on 28 June 2017 they received a public apology from the defendants. Continue reading
With the election now in the past, the wheels of government are beginning to grind again. While most eyes are on Brussels, it is important that the bright lights of Brexit do not draw attention away from other work that is resuming and ongoing. Among it, the Law Commission will continue its project that considers the revision of the laws on Official Secrets, with its final proposals expected later this year. Continue reading
The Henri Van Breda case (Van Breda v Media 24 Limited and Others [2017] ZASCA 97) has confirmed that cameras in courts are not only here to stay, but that this is mandated by the South African Constitution in order to facilitate open justice and the right of the public to hear and see what goes on in our courts. Continue reading
Last week saw a remarkable Daily Mail editorial attacking the Guardian. The language was strong, the complaint being that “hardly a day passes without another drip drip drip of mendacious vitriol and bile from Guardian writers attacking us and our readers”. Continue reading
The European Court’s Fifth Section has unanimously held that a damages award made against an Irish newspaper for defamation violated the right to freedom of expression, under Article 10 of the European Convention. While the judgment in Independent Newspapers v. Ireland concerned Irish defamation law prior to reforms brought about in 2009, it is still significant for signalling to Irish courts that unpredictably high damages have a “chilling effect,” and require the “most careful scrutiny” and “very strong justification.” Continue reading
“Words have consequences. They lead to actions.” So wrote Peter Oborne, the maverick right-leaning Daily Mail columnist about the shocking events in north London recently when a white van deliberately ran into a crowd of Muslims outside a mosque, killing one and injuring several others. Continue reading
In a judgment in the case of Bayev v Russia ([2017] ECHR 572) handed down on 20 June 2017, the Third Section of European Court of Human Rights found – by six votes to one – that the so-called Russian “gay-propaganda law” banning the promotion of homosexuality violated both Article 10 and Article 14 of the Convention. Continue reading
On 15 June 2017, a man who featured in a short sequence in a Channel 4 documentary about a grassroots movement to stop bailiffs evicting people from their homes failed in a bid to get a last-minute court order to block transmission of the programme. Continue reading
Property developer, William Robert Ell sued Tweed Shire Councillor, Katie Milne in defamation in 2014. He sued over a letter to the editor which Ms Milne had written about a contentious building development conducted by Mr Ell. While Mr Ell did not attend the trial, he won the case and was awarded damages of $15,000 plus costs. The decision was handed down on 7 March 2014. Continue reading
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