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The media industry is continually evolving with traditional forms of media moving to digital and online platforms and subscription service models being introduced as former revenue models are under challenge. The rapid pace of change and the impact of new technology means that media lawyers must not only assist clients to chart their way through the ever-expanding range of legislation and regulation affecting the media, but also take an active role in the direction taken by governments and industry authorities.
HWL Ebsworth’s media law experts are industry leaders in the fields of media, social media and new media. Our clients include all of the major television networks, a number of radio networks, advertising agencies and many leading media and publishing companies.
We also act for music and digital entertainment industries, IT companies, e-commerce and multimedia providers, theatre and other live performance companies, film companies, film and television producers, post-production companies, performance facility managers, recording artists and companies, athletes, sports teams and celebrities. We have a nationally-renowned film practice having acted for various entities in hundreds of feature films, as well as many short films, television series and documentaries.
Our team is actively involved in media law reform. Members of our team have regularly appeared before parliamentary committees and have assisted the media with submissions to Government. We work with and for industry bodies to protect media interests. We regularly provide training sessions to media clients on legal issues and the practical implications of change.
Experience
- Major media networks: Providing pre-and post-publication advice to local and national television and radio networks, newspapers and online media, particularly in respect of news and current affairs content;
- Major media networks, celebrities and politicians: Representing various parties in defamation proceedings throughout Australia and in the High Court;
- Major media networks and Free TV Australia: Acting in relation to submissions to and consultation with government, opposition and cross-bench parties regarding legislative reform affecting the media including filming restrictions, privacy, use of surveillance devices, and journalist shield laws;
- Major media networks: Representing networks in resisting a number of suppressions in significant criminal and other cases and pursuing applications authorising publication of restricted details and records;
- Online media: Assisting in relation to all legal and regulatory issues arising from the establishment and launch of new online media publications;
- Advertising agencies: Acting for agencies and major corporations in relation to national campaigns, including proceedings by and against competitors for misleading representations and ACCC investigations;
- A major film financing corporation and film festival: Preparing suites of documentation for the financing and production of national and international feature films, documentaries and television programmes; and
- Networks and producers: Negotiating and documenting deals for the development, licensing and global syndication and distribution of media content.