Blogger busted
Sunday, July 12th, 2009A British detective blogging about police issues under the pseudonym “NightJack” has failed in his attempt to stop the Times from revealing his identity. The ruling suggests that anonymous bloggers don’t have a reasonable expectation that their identities will be kept private. Well, those who are breaching police regulations in writing their blog, anyway. But […]
Not quite…
Sunday, July 12th, 2009The Herald On Sunday has a story on the Solicitor-General’s investigation of blogs and social networking sites that are commenting on the Clayton Weatherston trial in ways that may prejudice the trial. I’m quoted explaining the reason for the law of contempt, and also as saying it has nothing to do with shutting down freedom […]
Muckhacking
Friday, July 10th, 2009For anyone who’s missed it: a fascinating expose of journalistic practices at News of the World. They hire private investigators to illegally hack public figures’ mobile phones; try to pass it off as a one-off lapse by a rogue journalist if caught out; and if sued pay out enormous sums as hush money in confidential […]
Laws unto himself
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009Michael Laws has been potted by the Broadcasting Standards Authority again, this time for a tirade against two fire service spokespeople, who had warned the public about the dangers of leaving chips unattended in a frying pan and not having working smoke alarms. This was after a fatal fire, killing four children, had been caused […]
Defamation stoush looming in London
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009Looks like a humdinger.
Well, sometimes there’s eye-gouging too
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009From Radio NZ this morning: The National Rugby League has plunged to an embarrassing low with the Sydney Roosters fined $50,000 and their Queensland State of Origin star Nate Miles suspended for six games for defecating in the corridor of a central coast hotel naked and in a drunken stupor. That’s sport.
New BSA member
Monday, June 29th, 2009Mary Anne Shanahan has been appointed to replace Diane Musgrave at the BSA. She is a lawyer, but is not being appointed chair (that’s still Jo Morris): she has been appointed to the “community rep” position. (One of the four members is appointed after consultation with broadcasters, and one after consultation with “public interest groups […]
Media law guide
Sunday, June 28th, 2009For the edification of the masses, I’ve added a range of headings over on the left giving basic information on some of the most important areas of New Zealand media law. If you want more detail (particularly from a journalist’s point of view) you might try my book Media Minefield. If you want even more […]
How I think the Bill of Rights is supposed to work
Sunday, June 28th, 2009I’ve mentioned an article I wrote with Claudia Geiringer about the Bill of Rights Act for Law, Liberty and Legislation – Essays in Honour of John Burrows QC. It’s called “Moving from Self-Justication to Demonstrable Justification – the Bill of Rights and the Broadcasting Standards Authority”. It has already been cited favourably in a couple […]
Law Commission goes all social networky
Monday, June 22nd, 2009And you thought they were geeks. Bzzzzt. The Law Commission has launched an interactive website called “TalkLaw” for us to have our say on law reform issues. (I did a couple of holiday stints at the Law Commission in the early 90s, and they were throwing around a similar idea then – but it was […]
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