UK press coverage June 1997 Jan 97 Feb 97 Mar 97 Apr 97 May 97 Jun 97 Jul 97 Aug 97 Sep 97 Oct 97 Nov 97 Dec 97 Jan 98 Feb 98 Mar 98 LM PRESS RELEASE IMMEDIATE 19.6.97 McLibel verdict: publisher calls for Libel law reform Helene Guldberg, publisher of LM magazine, said today that whatever the verdict in the McLibel trial, the case demonstrates that libel law endangers free speech. Guldberg is currently being sued for libel by multi-million pound news broadcaster ITN*. "Regardless of the final verdict, the extraordinary length and cost of the 25 month McLibel trial serves as a warning to individuals, campaigns and media professionals that there is no such thing as free speech in Britain. Libel law stifles the ability of us all to criticise and hold to account the huge public bodies that affect our lives. It is not just actual writs but the threat of writs that suppresses public debate. The right of powerful organisations to sue for libel makes a mockery of free speech and the freedom of the press. The likes of McDonalds and ITN have unlimited resources with which to influence public opinion and put their case across. They use libel writs to gag criticism. As a publisher with direct experience of the high cost of challenging in print a powerful company, I support wholeheartedly Helen Steel and Dave Morris' proposal for a reform of British libel law to include a public interest defence. This would make it impossible for the McLibel case or the ITN action to ever happen again." ______________________________________________________________________ For further information or comment contact, Jan Macvarish, LM Press Officer, on (0171) 278 9908 or 0831 246 694. Helene Guldberg can be called directly on 0958 600 366. *ITN is suing Helene Guldberg and Mick Hume, editor of LM, for libel after LM published an article in its February issue by German journalist Thomas Deichmann. 'The Picture That Fooled the World' criticised ITN's award-winning 1992 reports from a Bosnian camp. For full details of the ITN/LM libel action visit the LM web-site http://www.informinc.co.uk Living Marxism, BM InformInc, London, WC1N 3XX Tel (0171) 278 9908 Fax (0171) 278 9844