Media bible in fourth showing

Robertson & Nicol on Media Law, Fourth editionby Geoffrey Robertson and Andrew NicolSweet & Maxwell, 110Amber Melville-Brown

Three little words.

No, not I love you, but close - the media bible.

My dog-eared, highlighted, annotated copy of the paperback third edition has rarely left my side throughout my practice.

But what about the fourth edition? In stark contrast to my old friend, the pristine, purple, hard-back copy looks less approachable than its predecessor.

Is it just as user friendly?

At its recent launch Geoffrey Roberston, speaking on behalf of both himself and fellow Doughty Street QC Andrew Nicol, explained that the first edition was seen as an oddity.

The term 'media law' was not then widely recognised, whereas now it is bandied about in the courts, the newspapers and the streets with frequency.

It is however, probably as ill-defined now as it was then.

In writing the fourth edition, the boys have had their work cut out for them.

There have been numerous advances in many aspects of media law over the past few years.

The chapter on confidence and privacy has, perhaps not surprisingly, almost doubled in size and the book includes a new chapter on the Human Rights Act 1998.

And as an indication of the speed at which the subject is growing and changing, there are 11 pages of 'Stop press', updating the updated edition itself.

The introduction states: 'The views in this book have been formed in the course of defending individual writers, editors and artists...' But while acknowledging that it is to them that they owe 'the greatest debt of thanks', the media heavyweights don't hold back in landing a few, hard jabs right where it hurts.

Perhaps most notable is the suggestion that 'It is a remarkable indictment of broadcasters that so few have made serious applications to cover tribunals of enquiry', referring to the topical issue of broadcasting the courts.

One cannot help but notice that the book is written from a freedom of expression point of view.

Consider: 'Journalism is not just a profession.

It is the exercise by occupation of the right to free expression available to every citizen.'

It will take me some time to get my new edition into a suitably shabby format for comfortable usage, preferring as I do the feel, the weight (and no doubt the cost) of a paperback edition.

However, that said, I would not be without it and would recommend it warmly to anyone interested in media law - whatever that is.

Amber Melville-Brown - a partner at London-based media specialist law firm Schilling & Lom and Partners - is the Gazette's media law correspondent