Absolute Privilege

This is a complete bar to any defamation action, whether or not the words are true, untrue or malicious. However, absolute privilege might apply to the event being reported on, but might not apply to a report about it. Reports must be fair, accurate and must be published contemporaneously. Contemporaneous means it must be in the first issue of a paper following the event, or while the event is in progress. Non-contemporaneous reports enjoy qualified privilege so long as they are fair and accurate.