Course Introduction
Covering legal proceedings fairly and effectivelyWhat's it about?
This five day course is designed to encourage journalists to write and report with more confidence on the range of issues surrounding court cases and legal issues. From a journalist's perspective, trial proceedings can seem daunting. The aim of this course is not only to help build a solid knowledge base, but also to explore ways of producing fair, balanced and compelling coverage in the world of digital and print media. Participants will learn useful legal vocabulary, and practice turning complicated concepts into clear, informative news stories which meet international standards of journalism.
Who should attend?
The course is aimed primarily at journalists with two to eight years’ experience who write for an international audience, or seek to.
Learning outcomes
- Deeper understanding of the justice system and types of courts
- Awareness of the varying news angles when reporting on law and courts
- Ethics of court reporting and how to deal with legal and ethical dilemmas
- Skills for making legal proceedings clear and how to better structure news stories
Benefits
Following this course you will have the knowledge and ability to report efficiently and effectively on all kinds of courts and criminal proceedings.
Course Structure Highlights
- The justice system - What are laws?
- Types of laws and types of courts - The basics of court reporting
- Why report court cases?
- A fair trial - What can we report? Defamation, contempt , fair comment and privilege, officers and officials of the court
- Privacy and the right to know - Sources, undue influence, taste, sub judice illustrated, ethics, punishments and penalties
- How a case maybe reported - Bringing it all together - scenarios and real life examples including appeals
- Additional challenges - Issues facing new media, live TV and bloggers
