The latest edition of McNae’s Essential Law for Journalists is set to be published next week.

The 24th edition of the “definitive” guide will be available to buy and features updates on various aspects of media law.

It includes information on how journalists can avoid unjustified intrusion into privacy and report ethically “in the public interest” and arguments court reporters can use to uphold the open justice principle against invalid or unnecessary reporting restrictions

The book also features advice on the need for journalists take steps to prevent any surveillance by state agencies revealing the identities of confidential sources.

Guidance from the chief coroner on media coverage of inquests appears as well.

The guide, which was first published more than 60 years ago, is currently edited by Mike Dodd and Mark Hanna.

Mike is the Press Association’s legal editor and a member of the National Council for the Training of Journalists’ media law examinations board.

He is a qualified lawyer with nearly 50 years’ experience as a working journalist.

Mark, an award-winning former crime and investigations reporter, is a senior teacher in the University of Sheffiled’s journalism studies department and chair and chief examiner of the NCTJ media law examinations board.