AJAs 2017 Finalists
Attachments
| Slug/Label | Defamation |
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| Date Aired or Published | December 17, 2024 |
| Media outlet where first aired or published: | The Telegram/ PNI Atlantic |
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Short explanation of the story and how it developed: As The Telegram's justice reporter, I try to go beyond reporting on court proceedings by looking for explainer pieces I can do on issues of law that particularly interest the public or that commonly arise in the community. Defamation is a topic that I've often seen discussed on social media, but it rarely comes before the courts. When the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador released a decision in which a man was awarded damages after he was defamed by his ex-partner's new boyfriend, I thought it would make a great explainer piece. Within my daily deadline, I reported on the court decision, and included a question-and-answer style explainer of the types of defamation, how it applies to social media, how it is handled in the criminal and civil courts, and how it is defended. I researched case law, interviewed a local police officer and a litigation lawyer, and spoke off the record with court officials for insight and quotes for this story. This piece seemed to interest readers, since it was one of the top-read stories on our website for days after it was published. I've seen social media platform users refer to it as a resource in conversations about slander and libel. For this submission, I have included the text of the story, as well as a screenshot from The Telegram/PNI Atlantic website as proof of publication. |
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Resources of the newsroom (money and time) available to complete the story: I am one of seven reporters at The Telegram. I cover the justice beat full time. This story was researched, interviews conducted, and written within my regular beat, on a daily deadline. |
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