Ursula Smartt

'Media and Entertainment Law', 6th ed Routledge Taylor & Frances (London & New York 2026) by Ursula Smartt

I am fascinated by legal cases all of which involve real people. The latest edition - once again a complete rewrite of the previous editions - includes AI, especially in relation to copyright infringements (USA and UK) and new EU legislation, such as the EU - AI Act, and new data protection regulations. In terms of leading cases, the UK privacy and defamation cases are still the most fascinating ones involving celebrities and the royals, such as Prince Harry, the Duke and his wife the Duchess of Sussex. The feedback I receive from law and journalism students and lecturers is generally that my books are very readable and still legally accurate ('lawyerly'). Media and Entertainment Law is a mighty tome of some 700 pages. Editions 1 to 5 of this text are textbooks in their own right, because the law in this area changes so quickly. The latest edition features more UK intellectual property law - but also international challenges in the music and entertainment industries. The 6th ed. still includes all the standard areas of law, such as privacy, freedom of expression, defamation (England/ Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland); court reporting including anonymity orders on child killers which may have been lifted post conviction, contempt of court (arguably long overdue with a complete legislative overhaul) and the ever increasing regulatory chapters: regulating the print press post Leveson, regulating online harms (e.g. Online Safety Act 2023; Media Act 2024), election laws, advertising regulation (incl. online; bloggers; vloggers and influencers). The final two chapters deal with the basics of IP law and copyright in the music industry.The ‘entertainment law’ topics are based on leading cases in the music industry, based on the experience of those whose copyright has been breached and singer-songwriters who are trying to protect their economic right in intellectual property. The book has become a leader in its field, and is popular with law students because they find the topics interesting (such as Ed Shearan cases). Both the 5th and 6th editions bear in mind post-Brexit laws specific to the UK but also include EU law, such as data protection and copyright.

'Media Law for Journalists' (2nd edition- Routledge) is aimed at non-law students and their lecturers. It is a practical book focussing on the daily job of reporters and journalists (print; broadcast etc), such as court reporting, libel and defamation and contempt.

The strength of all my books lies in the readability as well as detailed knowledge of case law, inspired by friends who are either journalists or work in the media and entertainment industries and in law firms. Both books have been popular with inernational journalists and media students. All my books cover the whole of the UK, with differences in legal procedure in Scotland or Northern Ireland, such as defamation.

I lecture on each topic mentioned in my books and regularly consult and canvass my students as to the strengths of particularly topics in the book, such as new defamation laws, court reporting and contempt of court issues, particularly with jury members misusing social networking in courts, peer-to-peer file sharing, cloud computing and music publishing in relation to copyright and extended sound recording (performers’) rights to 70 years (‘Cliff’s Law’).

My book launches have all seen some of the most prominent lawyers who also wrote the foreword to each edition, such as Michael Mansfield KC; Mark Stephens CBE; Baroness Helena Kennedy KC, the Labour Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer KC MP, His Honour Jeff Blackett (former Judge Advocate General for Court Martials) and Adrienne Page KC - the 'top silk' in media and entertainment law.