It is about offending or not offending, it is all about the reaction of the audience, e.g. language, violence, drugs, nudity, racism etc.
For my magazine i will have to take into consideration that my photography could offend people with by the way the models could be portrayed. It wouldn't involve nudity as my magazine is a fashion magazine so all models will be advertising clothing. If all my models are or aren't of colour this could be targeted at a certain group of people and offend others. My photography won't involve violence, language or drugs. My articles won't offend anyone as all articles are about fashion or makeup, but as my magazine is stereotypically aimed at females this may offend a majority of males so i could take into consideration what i can put in my magazine including males and my genre of magazine.
Libel Law.
to publish in print (including pictures), writing or broadcast through radio, television or film, an untruth about another which will do harm to that person or his/her reputation, by tending to bring the target into ridicule, hatred, scorn or contempt of others. Libel is the written or broadcast form of defamation, distinguished from slander which is oral defamation.Publication need only be to one person, but it must be a statement which claims to be fact, and is not clearly identified as an opinion. While it is sometimes said that the person making the libellous statement must have been intentional and malicious, actually it need only be obvious that the statement would do harm and is untrue. Proof of malice, however, does allow a party defamed to sue for "general damages" for damage to reputation, while an inadvertent libel limits the damages to actual harm (such as loss of business) called "special damages." "Libel per se" involves statements so vicious that malice is assumed and does not require a proof of intent to get an award of general damages. Libel against the reputation of a person who has died will allow surviving members of the family to bring an action for damages. Most states provide for a party defamed by a periodical to demand a published retraction. If the correction is made, then there is no right to file a lawsuit. Governmental bodies are supposedly immune for actions for libel on the basis that there could be no intent by a non-personal entity, and further, public records are exempt from claims of libel. However, there is at least one known case in which there was a financial settlement as well as a published correction when a state government newsletter incorrectly stated that a dentist had been disciplined for illegal conduct.
My magazine will not include anything un true or anything that will degrade a certain individual. I will only include respectable opinions. But if i go ahead with the article "who wore it best" this could possibly offend a certain person, but i won't include words that will hurt them immensely i would only write honestly in a way that won't humiliate them too much.
Copyright.
the exclusive right to make copies, license, and otherwise exploit a literary, musical, or artistic work, whether printed, audio, video, etc.: works granted such right by law on or after January 1, 1978, are protected for the lifetime of the author or creator and for a period of 50 years after his or her death.
As a magazine often uses images taken by professional or other photographers copyright is a big issue. print and image that you haven't obtained rights to and the owner can claim damages. Print an image and mis credit it could do the same.
Copyright will not be an issue in my magazine as all pictures are my own photography and all my articles are written by me and are not pastiched. Models will not be used in my photography without their legal permission.
Law of contempt.
Under the contempt of court act 1981 it is criminal contempt of court to publish anything which creates a real risk that the course of justice in proceedings may be seriously impaired. It only applies where proceeding are active, and the Attorney General has issued guidance as to when he believes this to be the case, and there is also statutory guidance.
The clause prevents the newspaper and media from publishing material that is too extreme or sensationalist about a criminal case until the trial is over and the jury has given verdict.
Official Secrets Act.
