Class notes
Protecting sources - a hazardous occupation
- Course
- Institution
Law in action lecture notes - Protecting sources - a hazardous occupation
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
megperrins
Content preview
Friday, 25 October 2019Protecting sources - a hazardous occupation
Law in Action
Section 10 of the 1981 Contempt of Court Act:
- No court may require a person to disclose, nor is any person guilty of contempt of
court for refusing to disclose, the source of information contained in a publication
for which he is responsible unless it is established to the satisfaction of the court
that it is necessary in the interest of justice or national security of for the
prevention of disorder or crime.
Statutory legal protection for journalists:
- PPC Editors Code (Section 14): journalists have a moral obligation to protect
con dential sources of information.
- Nation Union of Journalists (Section 7): member must protect the identity of
sources who supply info in con dence and material gathered in the course of
their work
- The Charted Institute of Journalists: members will maintain the con dences
agreed with contributors.
Example: Death of Dr David Kelly: 2003 (suicide? - Murder?)
- DK was source of BBC in an allegation that a government dossier had
exaggerated the military threat to UK from Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction
- Led to high pro le inquiry under Lord Hutton
- BBC’s handling of the story and its source led to the reporter Andrew Gilligan’s
and Direct General Greg Dyke’s resignations.
Protection for journals:
- Journals - entitled to some protection against police powers of search & seizure
- Police and Criminal Evidence Act: ‘excluded material’ includes ‘journalistic
material acquired or created for the purposes of journalism’
- Only a circuit judge can give the police permission to seize material through a
court application - this protection is not absolute
1
fi fi fi fi
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller megperrins. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $4.50. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
72042 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now