Was the BBC right to broadcast interview with murder suspect?
By	Dean Jobb	• Law
Did the BBC risk running afoul of Britain's contempt of court laws when it aired an interview with a suspect in the Suffolk prostitute murders? BBC media correspondent Torin Douglas reports.
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Freedom of the press and Stephen Harper's media policy
For Canadians to make informed political decisions, the press must be free to gather and report political news. The Harper government's restrictions on media access to politicians and news events is at odds with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which protects political speech and freedom of the press. University of Alberta law student Graham Darling explores the constitutional implications of the showdown between Stephen Harper and the press.
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Unruly Internet blogs spark rise in libel cases
The rapid rise of amateur commentators mounting the soapbox of Internet blogs has led to a small, but growing number of online libel cases. Shannon Proudfoot, CanWest News Service, reports.
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No publication ban on Pickton trial
There will be no sweeping publication ban on the first-degree murder trial of Robert Pickton, even though the accused serial killer could face a second trial at a later date. A British Columbia judge made the ruling Dec. 14, 2006, after lawyers for news organizations argued a ban would effectively mean one of the biggest murder cases in Canadian history would be tried in secret. Read the Canadian Press report.
The British Columbia Supreme Court has posted a summary of publication bans in force for Pickton's trial, as well as procedures for journalists seeking access to hearings and exhibits.
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Cameras could come to Ontario courtrooms
Television cameras are generally barred from Ontario's courtrooms, but an August 2006 report recommends partial lifting of the ban. "Our justice system is ready for its close-up," says Attorney General Michael Bryant, who endorses the recommendation and believes cameras will eventually be permitted in courtrooms across Canada. CBC News reports. The recommendation is one of many designed to improve media access to Ontario's courts. Read the report of the Panel on Justice and the Media.
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Internet media law 101
The Internet has changed the landscape of Canadian media law, but the rules that govern what appears in the traditonal media also apply online. A primer on defamation law, publication bans and copyright on the Internet, as well as the restrictions on accessing child pornography.
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Canadian libel law chills free speech on Internet
Canadian Internet service providers need protection from libel suits sparked by web postings, argues Internet law expert Michael Geist.
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Keys to fair reporting on youth crime
Experts says reporters sensationalize youth crime and contribute to the public misconception that teens are increasingly violent and out of control. Stephanie Cameron checks the facts behind the headlines in the King's Journalism Review.
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Arar, anonymous sources and the duty to report with care
Canadian news outlets, however unknowingly, helped smear Maher Arar's reputation. The editor-in-chief of CBC News says the case highlights why journalists should be wary of using anonymous sources. By Tony Burman. Posted Oct. 3, 2006.
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Fear of publishing
Muslim outrage over published caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed has fueled a debate in Canada on what constitutes freedom of speech. Marlene Rego reports in the Ryerson Review of Journalism.
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