Blogging and Media Law

In this seminar, leading US commentator on journalism, media and law,
Professor Brian Murchison, will address key issues about blogging that
arise internationally, especially related to defamation and privacy law.
When can the identity of an anonymous blogger be obtained by a prospective
plaintiff? When can bloggers protect their own anonymity -- the
issue that faced English law in the recent “Night Jack” case? And how
much protection will the law give if those who have been targeted by blogs
“speak back”? Steven Price, experienced New Zealand barrister, journalist and blogger will provide commentary.

 

Tuesday, 17th November 2009
Malleson Stephen Jaques
Level 61, Governor Phillip Tower, 1 Farrer Place, Sydney NSW 2000

Wednesday, 18th November 2009
Melbourne Law School
185 Pelham Street, Carlton VIC 3010

 

SPEAKER
Professor Brian Murchison , Washington and Lee University School of Law

Brian C. Murchison is the Charles S. Rowe Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University
School of Law, in Lexington, Virginia. He was Acting Dean of the School of Law in 2006-07 and
earlier served as director of the school's research arm. His undergraduate and law degrees are from
Yale University. Before law school, he was a teacher with the Peace Corps in Benin, West Africa.
He practiced with a Washington, D.C. firm before joining the W&L faculty in 1982. His courses
are Mass Media Law, Law & Journalism, Administrative Law, and Torts, and he cofounded
a clinic that represents disabled coal miners in federal administrative hearings. His
scholarship includes articles on libel law, invasion of privacy, separation of powers, justiciability,
administrative adjudication, and statutory interpretation. His work in progress is a book on First
Amendment values in the new century.

COMMENTATOR
Steven Price, New Zealand barrister and blogger

Steven Price is a Wellington barrister specialising in media law. He’s also the author of “Media
Minefield” (a guide to media regulation in New Zealand) and an adjunct lecturer in media law at
Victoria University of Wellington. After obtaining a first class honours degree in law from Victoria
University, Steven spent three years working for Kensington Swan, where his main client was Fair Go.
After that, he obtained a Masters in journalism at the University of California at Berkeley, where he
studied on a Fulbright scholarship. Since then, he has juggled a variety of media-and-law related
work: writing freelance columns and features, commenting on Radio NZ’s Nine-to-Noon and
MediaWatch shows, vetting Nicky Hager’s recent books, researching broadcasting standards, the Bill
of Rights, and the Official Information Act, successfully appealing against the banning of Anne Hunt’s
book Broken Silence, and running seminars for journalists and lawyers. He also writes a blog called
MediaLawJournal: www.medialawjournal.co.nz.

CHAIR - Sydney
The Hon Justice Ruth McColl AO , NSW Court of Appeal

CHAIR - Melbourne
Professor Andrew Kenyon , Melbourne Law School

 

Sydney and Melbourne Registration Forms

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