Nine loses Victorian Underbelly appeal
Kate Hagan
March 26, 2008 - 10:02AM
Channel Nine has lost a court bid to screen the gangland TV series Underbelly before the completion of an upcoming murder trial.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the application over Supreme Court Justice Betty King's ban on the series being screened in Victoria.
This means Nine cannot screen Underbelly until the murder trial, the details of which cannot be reported for legal reasons, is completed.
The murder trial is due to start on Monday.
The Court of Appeal slightly reworded orders made by Justice King in February so that they prohibit Channel Nine - rather than "every person in Victoria" - from broadcasting Underbelly and publishing a family tree detailing the series' characters on the internet.
In a summary of its decision, the Court of Appeal today said it accepted it did not have "power to bind the world" by a suppression order.
"An order made against the broadcaster not to publish the program or its related internet site in Victoria until after the completion of the trial was all that was necessary.
"However, any person who with knowledge of the orders deliberately seeks to frustrate their effect could be liable for contempt of court."
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/nine-loses-underbelly-screening-bid/2008/03/26/1206207145950.html
