Bass v TCN Channel Nine [2003] NSWCA 118

Reported Decision : 60 NSWLR 251

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Bass v TCN Channel Nine [2003] NSWCA 118 HEARING DATE(S) : 21 October 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 20 May 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Handley JA at 48; Wood CJatCL at 150 DECISION : Appeal allowed. Orders made.

CATCHWORDS : DEFAMATION - malice - answer to public attack - media's knowledge of falsity of answer and malice of target capable of establishing malice in media - DEFAMATION - qualified privilege - television station orchestrating confrontation entitled to derivative privilege of target Adam v Ward [1917] AC 309 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Comalco (1986) 12 FCR 510 Blackshaw v Lord [1984] QB 1 CA, 27 Clark v Molyneux [1877] 3 QBD 237 Dawson v Dover & Country Chronicle Ltd (1913) 108 LT 481 Derry v Peek (1889) 14 App Cas 337 Dougherty v Chandler (1946) 46 SR (NSW) 370 Egger v Viscount Chelmsford [1965] 1 QB 248 CA Godfrey v Henderson (1944) 44 SR (NSW) 447 Horrocks v Lowe [1975] AC 135 Loveday v Sun Newspapers Limited (1938) 59 CLR 503 Makin v John Fairfax and Sons Ltd (1990) A Def R 40, 526 CASES CITED : Mowlds v Fergusson (1939) 40 SR (NSW) 311 Norton v Hoare (No 1) (1913) 17 CLR 310 Oldfield v Keogh (1941) 41 SR (NSW) 206 Penton v Calwell (1945) 70 CLR 219 Pervan v The North Queensland Newspaper Co Ltd (1993) 178 CLR 309 Quinn v Leathem [1901] AC 495 Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Limited v Parker (1992) 29 NSWLR 448 Roberts v Bass (2002) 77 ALJR 292 Stephens v Western Australian Newspapers Ltd (1994) 192 CLR 211 Telnikoff v Matusevitch [1992] 2 AC 343 Theophanos v Herald & Weekly Times Ltd [1994] 182 CLR 104 Thompson v Australian Capital Television Pty Ltd (1996) 186 CLR 574 Waterhouse v Station 2GB Pty Ltd (1985) 1 NSWLR 58, 67 ROBIN BASS PARTIES : v TCN CHANNEL NINE PTY LIMITED FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41064/01 COUNSEL : Appellant: T Molomby SC/RKM Rasmussen Respondent: B R McClintock SC/M F Richardson SOLICITORS : Appellant: V Kalantzis Respondent: Gilbert & Tobin