Journalists cover a past event in Mombasa on January 10, 2014. A landmark ruling in the Court of Appeal in New Zealand has recognised the existence of a new “public interest defence to defamation claims” arising from mass publications. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
A landmark ruling in the Court of Appeal in New Zealand has for the first time recognised the existence of a new “public interest defence to defamation claims” arising from mass publications — which gives journalists more room to handle stories and extra immunity from possible suits.
Previously, the only recognised privileged information was what was contained in court and parliamentary proceedings and public interest was not taken as a defence to defamation.
