What is the legal definition of a news organization?

In Mississippi, the legal definition of a news organization is any enterprise or individual that regularly gathers, reports, publishes, or distributes news or information concerning local, national, or international occurrences or other matters of public interest. News organizations typically present news articles, photographs, images, audio, video, and other content through various forms of media, such as newspapers, television, radio, and online. In order for an organization to be considered a news organization, it must be engaged in the regular practice of disseminating news and/or information. Generally, news organizations are exempt from defamation and invasion of privacy laws that would otherwise apply to individuals or non-news organizations. Additionally, news organizations in Mississippi are given special legal protection in defamation cases called a “privilege” or “absolute privilege” due to the importance of protecting freedom of speech and of the press. This means that even if a statement made by a news organization is false, the organization has a defense against a claim of defamation if it can prove that the information it published was true. Overall, Mississippi provides special protections to news organizations due to the importance of journalism and the free flow of information. While news organizations must still be mindful of potential liabilities, such as invasion of privacy or copyright infringement, the state also recognizes the importance of news organizations and protects its citizens’ right to free speech.

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What is the legal definition of a news organization?

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