The government promised to make no changes to Freedom of Information law after a review found it was working well. Journalists mounted a campaign against feared restrictions; top universities and local government complained that it was too big a burden. Read more
Category Archives: Local government
Council ejects reporter ‘in public interest’
A reporter said he was ejected from a council’s licensing hearing because police said it would not be in the public interest for him to remain while video evidence was shown relating to a crime that was still under investigation. He argued it was in the public interest for him to remain. Read more
Audit law probe reveals £120k to fend off BBC
The Audit Commission Act was used to uncover massive council spending to try to fend of a BBC investigation. The act requires councils to open their finances for public examination for four weeks per year (Press Gazette, September 2014). Read more
Video: key legal issues for the media
In a 12-minute film, Professor Duncan Bloy summarises legal challenges for journalists and community media, including defamation, copyright, reporting sex offences, and privacy. Note that a legal right to film council meetings has been established since this film was made in April 2014. Watch here
New right to film and tweet council debates
Journalists, bloggers and the public gained a legal right to film council meetings and tweet from them, after campaigns that saw reporters arrested (Press Gazette, August 2014). Read more
Website wins right to film council – at last
After years of requests, a website was suddenly allowed to film a council meeting (HoldTheFrontPage, March 2014). Read more
