Sydney — Three dozen Australian journalists and publishers are to face court on Monday over their coverage of cardinal George Pel’'s trial for child sex abuse, with prosecutors seeking fines and jail terms over accusations of breached gag orders in the case. Prosecutors in the southeastern state of Victoria have accused the 23 journalists and 13 news outlets of aiding and abetting contempt of court by overseas media and breaching suppression orders. Among those facing contempt charges are Nine Entertainment, the Age, the Australian Financial Review, Macquarie Media, and several News Corporation publications. Though Monday’s hearing is largely procedural, media experts say the case shows not only the serious consequences of breaching rules on court reporting but also how poorly the rules rein in coverage in the era of digital news. “It shows that the laws themselves are out of sync with the speed and breadth of publication,” said Mark Pearson, a professor of journalism and social med...
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