Description

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We are all journalists and publishers now: at the touch of a button we can send our words, sounds and images out to the world. No matter whether you're a traditional journalist, a blogger, a public relations practitioner or a social media editor, everything you publish or broadcast is subject to the law. But which law?

This widely used practical guide to communication law is essential reading for anyone who writes or broadcasts professionally, whether in journalism or strategic communication. It offers a mindful approach to assessing media law risks so practitioners can navigate legal and ethical barriers to publishing in mainstream and social media.

This sixth edition has been substantially revised to reflect recent developments in litigation, and the impact of national security laws and the rising gig economy where graduates might work in the news media, PR, new media start-ups, or as freelancers. It covers defamation, contempt, confidentiality, privacy, trespass, intellectual property, and ethical regulation, as well as the special challenges of commenting on criminal allegations and trials. Recent cases and examples from social media, journalism and public relations are used to illustrate key points and new developments.

Whether you work in a news room, in public relations or marketing, or blog from home, make sure you have The Journalist's Guide to Media Law at your side.

'Whether you're an MSM editor or reporter, a blogger, a tweeter or a personal brand, this book might save your bacon.' - Jonathan Holmes, former ABC Media Watch host

'The leading text book from which most journos learned their law' - Margaret Simons, associate professor in journalism, Monash University

About the Author

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Mark Pearson (BA, DipEd, MLitt, LLM, PhD) is Professor of Journalism and Social Media at Griffith University in Queensland, where he is a member of the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research. He is author of Blogging and Tweeting Without Getting Sued and co-editor of Mindful Journalism and News Ethics in the Digital Era: A Buddhist Approach, and Courts and the Media: Challenges in the Era of Digital and Social Media. He has worked as a journalist with several media organisations, including The Australian. He blogs from journlaw.com and tweets from @journlaw. Mark Polden is a Sydney barrister. After 10 years in the media law practice group of a national law firm, and then as in-house counsel for Fairfax Media for the best part of two decades, he now advises and acts for Australian and international print, broadcast and online media, film, and television production houses and for private clients.