Battleangel

Old news by now, nevertheless interesting. First and foremost because singer/wongwriter Loreena McKennitt is an artist that I admire very much and second because this case introduces a very delicate problem of free speech vs. personal privacy. At least taken at face value. Reading the court ruling, it is clear that Niema Ash went a little beyond investigative journalism, and indeed the friendship that once was, and dug into matters that cannot possibly be of public interest. She is not a politician or anyone with power who would warrant that sort of intrusive character scrutiny.

CBC – Publicity-shy singer wins privacy claim – Canadian singer Loreena McKennitt has won a privacy claim against a former friend who wrote a book about her.

A London court justice issued a ruling against Niema Ash on Wednesday over Ash’s book, Travels with Loreena McKennitt: My Life as a Friend. Ash is a resident of London.

The publicity-shy McKennitt took issue with passages that concerned her personal relationships, her grief over the drowning death of her fiancé, Ronald Rees, and her diet.

“Ms. Ash was only too aware, at the time of and prior to publication, that much of the content of the book would cause concern and distress to Ms. McKennitt because of its intrusive nature,” Justice David Eady of the High Court of Justice wrote in his ruling.

Official statement from Quinlan Road. As noted by Financial Times, the case is likely to have a major impact on the media industry. Basically it hinges on the ‘public interest’ standard to which publishers will be held. As long as it doesn’t apply to the realm of politics I do not see a problem. In fact, anything that will diminish the immense celebrity cult following is a positive thing.