A contributor falls out with the production team: perhaps they dislike an editorial decision or want to disrupt transmission, and suddenly, wham! A Subject Access Request (SAR) lands, demanding any rushes, internal emails, production notes or assessments that could contain the contributor's personal data.

At the London Book Fair this week, common discussions with publishers reveal a shared challenge: how to create bold, distinctive books that stand out in a crowded market while managing the legal risks associated with telling powerful stories. In this environment, nuanced legal advice that protects both the publisher and the editorial voice is essential.

As media lawyers at Reviewed & Cleared, we often work with documentary filmmakers and investigative journalists to protect confidential sources. Our pre-publication team advises journalists across broadcast, audio and print on investigations into public bodies such as the NHS and policing, corporate wrongdoing, abuse cases, national security and environmental stories. In many of these cases, people simply wouldn’t speak without some protection.

Spare a thought for algorithms… They will be at play in the visibility of this post. R&C’s CEO, Alex Wade, is now more enlightened having reviewed Kyle Chaka’s excellent and thought-provoking ‘Filterworld’ for The TLS.

The Rt Hon David Davis MP nailed it in his introductory speech to the House of Commons on SLAPPs on 29 June 2023:

R&C is proud to work with Cartoonists Rights, which safeguards the right to freedom of expression around the world for cartoonists. In the UK, we have a robust cartooning tradition: satire and parody are part of the fabric of our democracy.

We had a great night at the PPA Awards at City Central at the HAC on Wednesday 28 June. Great to see so many friends and clients at an event that showcased the vibrancy of the UK’s magazine industry.