The Practical Guide to Libel Law [Hardcover]

Neil J. Rosini (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1991

The penalties for failing to learn the lessons of libel law are severe--a fact which is widely recognized by media professionals who are most at risk. Writers, print and broadcast journalists, film producers, and editors need a working knowledge of the law, in simple terms, with practical ways to avoid legal trouble. Attorney Neil Rosini meets that need with this practical handbook focusing on what the law is (and will likely be) and how media professionals can stay within its bounds. Rosini's unique three-step approach and lively presentation make a complex subject both entertaining and easy to understand. The book's first section, "What to Look For," shows the reader how to identify a libel. The rule here is straightforward: anything that damages reputation is potentially libelous notwithstanding the public or private status of the subject, or the quality or number of sources. The next section, "What Degree of Proof," discusses how much proof is necessary to support a potentially libelous statement. Through examples, the book demonstrates that a common-sense rule is usually the best: journalists must balance factors like the degree of potential damage to the subject, time pressures, the number and reliability of sources, the importance of the story, and the availability of corroboration, to determine whether proof is sufficient. In the third section, "What to Write," the book shows how to write a story to make the best use of available legal defenses. Simple precautions like changing the names and biographical details of subjects, or buttressing a story with references to legislative or judicial records, provide important legal advantages. The book begins by discussing the competingideals of free speech and the protection of reputation and puts defamation suits in context. The book ends with "Quick Questions and Short Answers," plus a list of "17 Do's and Don'ts" for ready reference. Throughout the volume Rosini provides anecdotal examples which illustrate the rules and help them "sink in." The fact patterns, mostly taken from actual cases, involve a diverting group of private and public figures including a monkey scientist, the company behind the "97-pound weakling," Robin Williams, and Andy Rooney. Detailed footnotes and case citations also make this an indispensable resource for lawyers, academics, and students.

Editorial Reviews

Review

?The primary objective of this book is to provide a clear-cut set of rules that will help train media professionals to avoid potential problems in three steps prior to publication of defamatory information. But the book should be equallt helpful to journalism teachers. . . . Given that a number of actual news stories that generated libel litigation are used to illustrate the author's three-step approach, the book should be useful to newswriting and reporting students as well as to media law students. The sections on 'how much proof' and 'what to write' are especially relevant for journalism students who must be equipped with a working knowledge of what information to gather and how to write it. . . . The author is an excellent writer. His discussion and analysis of often complex case law is refreshingly clear and colorful.?-Journalism Educator

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Praeger Publishers (November 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275937828
• ISBN-13: 978-0275937829
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,351,707 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must for every journalist, May 29, 2001

By 

Jennifer Richardson (Fairfax, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Practical Guide to Libel Law (Hardcover)

"The Practical Guide to Libel Law" offers a three-step system for identifying potentially defamatory statements in news stories, gathering proof to back up the statements and writing your story to best take advantage of libel law. It's easy to follow and low on jargon. And Rosini's real-life examples were easy to apply in a deadline-obsessed newsroom. Especially helpful are the review questions, destined to be posted in cubicles everywhere. As a working journalist, I appreciate this refresher in the do's and dont's. I definitely will recommend it to coworkers.