The Ethics of Reporting Court Cases

Our newspaper had eagerly published sensational cases daily to the extent of causing uneasiness among the public. Our journalist should give attention to Section 3 of the JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS (REGULATION OF REPORTS) ACT 1962 (REVISED 1973) ACT 114
which provides:

It shall not be lawful for the proprietor, editor or publisher of a newspaper or periodical to print or publish, or cause or procure to be printed or published—

(a) in relation to any judicial proceedings any indecent matter or indecent medical, surgical or physiological details being matter or details the publication of which would be calculated to injure public morals; and

(b) (i) in relation to any judicial proceedings for dissolution of marriage, nullity of marriage, judicial separation or restitution of conjugal rights; or

(ii) in relation to any domestic proceedings, any particulars other than the following, that is to say:

(I) the names, addresses and occupations of the parties and witnesses;

(II) the grounds of the application or a concise statement of the charges, the defences and counter charges in support of which evidence has been given;

(III) submissions on any point of law arising in the courts of the proceedings and decision of the court thereon; and

(IV) the judgment of the court and any observations made by the court in giving it:

Provided that nothing in this paragraph shall be held to permit the publication of anything contrary to paragraph (a).