Uniform Single Publication Act

The Uniform Single Publication Act limits liability for defamation and related claims arising from mass-communicated material, treating a single edition, issue, or broadcast as giving rise to only one cause of action no matter how widely it is distributed, so that a judgment in one suit bars a second action on the same publication. Alongside that core rule, enactments commonly address broadcast defamation — defining privileged publications and broadcasts, providing that malice is not inferred from the fact of publication or broadcast, allowing a station to require advance submission of material, and addressing the liability of stations carrying political candidates' remarks or operating jointly. Retraction provisions further cap recoverable damages where a newspaper or broadcaster corrects the statement, while immunity is conditioned on the exercise of due care.

Editorial summary generated from the text of this act. It is not part of the statute — read the sections below for the operative language.