Subjects:

Practice & Procedure

Contents:

Introduction

1. The court system: An overview

2. Gaining information

3. Contempt

4. Defamation

5. Writing the (newspaper) story

6. Subediting and photography

7. Television and radio

8. Human relations and ethics

9. An Atypical Friday at court

10. Suppression orders

11. Future directions and issues.

Court Reporting in Australia uses the experience of reporters and subeditors to present a practical view of reporting on the legal system. Peter Gregory avoids the rigid fashion in which media law matters are usually described and, while he covers such vital areas as defamation and contempt, he focuses on the experiences and lessons to be learned from court reporters on the job. He highlights the problems and common mistakes likely to land journalists and media organisations in trouble.

It features information and realistic advice from court reporters working for metropolitan media outlets as well as revealing how they perform their daily tasks; for example, preparing television news reports when no pictures and no story are available. Practical and useful as well as theoretical: no one who reports on legal matters can afford to be without this book.