Section 13Part 0 —
Reports of certain public meetings
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A fair and accurate report published in any newspaper or by any broadcasting station of the proceedings of a public meeting or (except where neither the public nor any newspaper reporter is admitted) of any meeting of the Legislative Assembly or religious services, or of any corporation, board or local authority formed or constituted under any Order in Council or law applicable to the Islands, or any committee appointed by any of the abovementioned bodies, and the publication at the request of the Government or the head of any Government Department of any notice or report issued by them for the information of the public, are privileged, unless it is proved that such report or publication was published or made maliciously:
that the protection afforded by this section is not available as a defence in any proceedings if it is proved that the defendant was requested to publish in the newspaper or by the broadcasting station in which the report or other publication complained of appeared, a reasonable letter or statement by way of contradiction or explanation of such report or other publication, and has refused or neglected so to do:
that nothing in this section limits or abridges any privilege now by law existing, or protects the publication of any matter not of public concern and the publication of which is not for the public benefit.
For the purposes of subsection (1) —
"public meeting" means any meeting bona fide and lawfully held for a lawful purpose, and for the furtherance or discussion of any matter of public concern, whether the admission thereto be general or restricted.
Defined Terms
public meeting