Courts must stay out of the investigative journalism process
If a recent court ruling becomes commonplace, legal action could stop news stories in their tracks before they’ve seen the light of day, writes Phoebe Netto.
The NSW Supreme Court’s extraordinary order requiring Nine to hand over draft copies of an investigation into the cosmetic surgery industry is a warning signal to every investigative journalist – and the entire media industry.
The purpose of the media is to expose the truth. The media are obligated to report on situations for both the public good and community awareness. As one of my former journalist colleagues noted, “journalists are trained to report on both sides of the story, however big or small the conflict may be.”
The court system should in no way interfere with this process, because in doing so, it threatens the media’s freedom of speech. But if this latest court ruling becomes commonplace, legal action could stop stories in their tracks before they’ve seen the light of day.
