Challenges and Distinctiveness of Media Tort in China : An Empirical Study of 800 Cases

1. ChallengesandDistinctivenessofMediaTortinChina: An Empirical Study of 800Cases Zhu Li and Yang Huizhen 15 June 2012

2. I. Data Sources and Methodology

3. 800 Media Tort Cases (1985~2009)

4. 800 Media Tort Cases (1985~2009)

5. ii. 100 Non-media Defamation Cases • VS.

6. iii. Survey on Media Professionals (N=96)

7. iii. Survey on Media Professionals (N=96)

8. II. Challenges in Chinese Media Tort Litigation

9. Challenging Issue? Graph 1: Variation of Defamation Cases according to ZhongguoFalvNianjian(China Law Yearbook) Graph 2: Variation of 800 Media Tort Cases

10. Challenging Issue? Have you ever been sued for infringement of reputation, privacy or portraiture in work? Has your media organization ever been involved in reputation, privacy, or portraiture infringement lawsuits?

11. Main Findings Higher monetary compensation Longer time to closea case More jurisdiction at non-defendant domiciles More co-defendants sued together

12. Longer time to close a case

13. ii. Higher monetary compensation

14. iii. More jurisdiction at non-defendant domiciles Impact on Media

15. iii. More jurisdiction at non-defendant domiciles

16. iiii. More co-defendants sued together

17. iiii. More co-defendants sued together • In some situations, the number of media co-respondents can surpass 10. • Tang Jili vs. RuiYanhong, Youth Times, Chengdu Business Daily, etc. (Defendant number:10) • Song Guanjun case (Defendant number: 100)

18. III. Distinctiveness of Media Tort in China

19. Main Findings Distinctiveness in remedies Distinctiveness in infringementbehaviors Distinctiveness in defendants Distinctiveness in defenses

20. Distinctiveness in defendants (Note: Cases with multiple defendants are included and calculated. )

21. ii. Distinctiveness in infringement behaviors

22. ii. Distinctiveness in infringement behaviors Infringement by republication

23. ii. Distinctiveness in infringement behaviors Infringement by continuous report

24. iii. Distinctiveness in defenses

25. iv. Distinctiveness in remedies If media’s continuous reports have corrected or clarified preceding false statements, what type of liability do you think the media should undertake? Correction & Reply

26. iv. Distinctiveness in remedies

27. iv. Distinctiveness in remedies Comparison of Remedies between 100 Ordinary Defamation Cases and 100 Media Defamation Cases

28. IV. Conclusion

29. Conclusions • Challenges: • Longer time to close a case • Higher monetary compensation • More jurisdiction at non-defendant domiciles • More co-defendants sued together • Distinctiveness: • Distinctiveness in defendants • Distinctiveness in infringement behaviors • Distinctiveness in defenses • Distinctiveness in remedies

30. ii. Implication • National legislators to take more progressive steps to clarify current judicial confusions and strike a better balance between personality rights protection and freedom of expression in laws or judicial interpretative documents.

31. iii. Limitations • This is one empirical research in China. • All litigation materials were collected before 2010. • Survey embodies self-report answers.

32. Thankyou!