The Association of Independent Publishers (AIP) and South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) have jointly published a practical pocket-guide and companion desk glossary to help journalists report on court cases.

The Reporting the Courts books are a practical response to the demise of specialised court reporters in many newsrooms, and the lack of court reporting training at tertiary institutions. 

South African Chief Justice Pius Langa formally launched the books at the Constitution Court on August 17. In his forward to the handbook, he writes: “Judges and magistrates have little power outside of the courtroom to explain or defend their positions and are uniquely reliant on journalists to convey their decisions to the broader population … with this power comes responsibility, not to the courts, but to the public and to our young nation as a whole to report the work of the courts accurately and fairly but not uncritically.”

The joint AIP/SANEF project was funded by the MAPPP Seta, the Open Society Foundation of SA (OSF-SA), and the Netherlands Institute of Southern Africa (NiZA).   

“Many journalists find themselves covering court stories without much notice and without much guidance or knowledge of the law and the courts. The handbook is meant to help them plug their knowledge gaps, be more assertive in their interactions with the courts and more accurate in their reporting,” explains media industry trainer, Paddi Clay, who led the publishing project on behalf of SANEF’s Education and Training Committee.

The primary handbook is a handy pocket size, so that it can be carried into court and used on the job. The 2^nd book, a glossary with additional guidelines, is intended for the newsroom and is designed to help everyone from reporters to sub-editors produce court stories that are accurate and understandable for the reader or listener. 

The project is meant to answer concerns around the quality of court reporting first raised at SANEF’s Skills Indaba in 2002, and echoed by AIP’s community and grassroots newspaper publishers in 2005. The editors and publishers noted that 20 years ago cadet reporters and journalism students were routinely tested on their knowledge of law and the courts, and that they depended heavily on Kelsey Stuart’s Newspaperman’s Guide to the Law.

South African law has changed significantly since then, but no new guides have been published to help journalists understand the evolution of the law or interpret events in court. 

“We wanted a book that would look at court reporting from the perspective of the reporter who needs to know, quickly, what to do when sent to court to cover a case,” says AIP president, Justin Arenstein. “This first edition is not a definitive legal textbook, but is rather a practical step towards empowering journalists covering the courts and improving reporting on justice.”

Kevin Ritchie, provided his Master’s degree research as the base document for the handbook. Veteran journalism trainer Gwen Ansell and plain English expert Shelly Seid helped edit the books and turn them into an invaluable aid for journalists.  

The pocket-guide has been endorsed by Justice Pius Langa, and provides an authoritative overview of the country’s justice system, court procedure, the rights of the different parties, as well as guidance on what can and cannot be covered according to the law.

The glossary features a more detailed introduction to the law, and features comprehensive definitions for judicial and policing jargon, ranging from interpretations of Latin and other legal terms, to common definitions for abused nouns such as gangs, syndicates, and the like. 

Both books also include a series of basic checklists for journalists to ensure they have complied with all the requirements for balanced, accurate, contextual reporting, including tips for avoiding common pitfalls on issues such as defamation, contempt of court, and prejudicial reporting.

AIP and SANEF both stress, however, that South African law is based on precedent and is therefore constantly changing. Both organisations will therefore issue regular updates of the book, and related issues, through their websites. 

AIP is southern Africa’s largest association of independent, grassroots, rural, and community newspapers and represents almost 250 publications.

All AIP members will receive complimentary copies of the Reporting the Courts books. Anyone else interested in ordering sets at R185 (or R200 including packaging and postage) should contact:

AIP Administrator:            

Contact:            David Katz                

Tel:                   011-721-3200

Email:               aip@printmedia.org.za

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