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Defamation laws protect the reputation of an individual from defamatory
statements made about them without lawful justification. The right
of reputation has great value attached to it in English law. The
Defamation Act 1996 forms the basis for the English
common law of defamation, though defamation laws can be dated
back to King Alfred The Great. There are several categories of
defamation, but perhaps the most common in the media are libel
and slander.
Libel is defamation in a permanent form such as in writing, on
video tape, through a radio or television broadcast or computer
generated transmission. Slander is verbal defamation and in a temporary
form, so media producers should always be aware of the risks involved
in making slanderous statements.
The main difference between libel and slander is basically down
to damages. Libel cases involve damages, but in cases of slander
actual loss must be proved by the claimant, unless their allegations
fall within one of four exceptions.
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