Media Law: MediaAlert

Pre-publication advice service

Carter-Ruck's 24 Hours A Day, 365 Days A Year, Pre-Publication Service

The best time to act over an intrusive, unfair or inaccurate piece of journalism is before publication. Under our MediaAlert service our specialist lawyers are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help.

Through MediaAlert we can, and frequently do, have a significant impact on behalf of our clients on what material, if any, is published.

How MediaAlert Works

If you, or your clients, are about to be the subject of intrusive, unfair or inaccurate media coverage, contact us.

We will advise on a strategy and we may recommend that we should speak to the staff lawyer at the relevant publisher or broadcaster.

All television broadcasters and most national newspapers have staff lawyers. Our lawyers know most of them well and are experienced in dealing with them. We find them receptive to our approach. It is in their interests that stories should be accurate and potential disputes avoided where possible. We will advise the staff lawyer of your interest and, if appropriate, outline your concerns regarding the proposed story.|

The Results

This means a staff lawyer with knowledge of your concerns will consider the proposed article or broadcast for libel, breach of privacy and other legal and regulatory purposes. This vetting process would otherwise probably be done by a freelance night lawyer (who may be relatively young and inexperienced) with no equivalent knowledge.

This may lead to important changes to the story from your point of view and, sometimes, a decision not to publish the story at all.

Often this is all that is required to nip the matter in the bud.

What Happens Next?

We can write to threaten legal action. In appropriate cases we can seek an injunction from the court at very short notice at any time of the day or night. Television and newspaper staff lawyers know these options are in the background. They know our reputation. They know our experience in dealing with pre-publication issues. That's why they listen to what we say and will take account of it when deciding whether, and in what form, to clear stories for publication or broadcast.

It is important to us that at all times our advice is:

prompt, clear and constructive
commercially aware
legally accurate and cost effective

Our team of specialist lawyers is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.