The Essential Dos and Don'ts in Media Law

Do you want to become a journalist? A celebrity feature writer? A news reader? A travel journalist? An investigative journalist like the great Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein? Or even a modern day William Rees-Mogg?

If your answer is yes, then you'll need to know the essential dos and don'ts of media law.

So let's get started.

THE DON'TS

• DO NOT write/say/publish anything that you know to be untrue or if it is purposely to harm another without any justification or without just cause.
• DO NOT dishonestly present sources or information. Avoid interviews or information directly from family members or friends.
• DO NOT pay people to pretend to be a source. That's not cool.
• DO NOT make up sources, interviews or any other content you wish to publish unless clearly stated it is fictional.
• DO NOT purposely cause disrepute or disruption. It is not wise or even funny to edit your work after it has been cleared by your editor or superior, all you will get is a bollocking.
• DO NOT publish discriminatory or racially offensive material. Not only is it not socially unacceptable, it is against the law.
• DO NOT publish your work without checking the simple attributes such as grammar, spelling and sentence structure.
• DO NOT even consider publishing your work if you are not sure if it complies with the law.
• DO NOT be stupid. Don't breach any privacy, confidentiality, trespassing, copyrighting or child protection (and so on and so forth) laws. That'll just get you in trouble.

That's about it with the don'ts. Now to the more positive side - the dos.

THE DOS

• DO try and detach yourself from the subject you are writing about. Disinterestedness is key.
• DO get out into the industry and find yourself some useful sources. A lot of journalism is to do with who you know, not what you know.
• DO be professional and responsible at all times when presenting yourself or your publication. If you want to be taken seriously in the media industry, you must make yourself appear to be someone who can be taken seriously.
• DO check your facts over and over again. Facts are brilliant in publications if they are 100% accurate.
• DO maintain an up-to-date working knowledge of media law and media regulation. Unfortunately, not knowing if changes have been made isn't an excuse for breaking the law.

Although media regulation can put you 'in a box' and limit you as a journalist, it is there for a good reason - to try and regulate the media. 

What would happen without media law? Would the newspapers be full of lies? Would the radio be more interesting? Would publications start growing legs and walking around the streets throwing news at us?

Probably not.

However, we'll never know.

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KEY WORDS AND DEFINITIONS IN MEDIA LAW

DISREPUTE 

A low standard of esteem or credit.

i.e. Unfortunately, Rupert Murdoch brings disrepute into the journalism industry.

MALICE

The intentional allowing, publication or creation of a wrongful or harmful act with no justification.

i.e. The newspaper was full of malice, it wasn't even worth reading.

DISINTERESTED

Being unbiased, unattached and not influenced by exterior motives.

i.e. He was perfect to write to article as he was disinterested in the subject.

DEFAMATION

A false accusation of an offence or act by another which could result in damaging their reputation.

i.e. Her soul intention of that article was defamation of Lady Gaga.

SLANDER

Defamation by saying the accusation.

i.e. Stop with all the slander, I'll sue you.

LIBEL

Defamation by writing the accusation.

i.e. With all this evidence, you have a definite libel case on your hands.

RECKLESSNESS

Disregard and paying little attention to produced work.

i.e. He wrote the article with complete recklessness, the spelling mistakes were atrocious.

MEDIA REGULATION

The use of legal means to regulate and control the media industry.

i.e. Your knowledge of media regulation must be kept up to date in order to pass this course.