Chequebook journalism refers to the practice of newspapers and media outlets paying individuals for information or exclusive access to their stories. While this can enable newsworthy reporting, it also risks influencing witnesses, contaminating trials, and prioritizing sensational stories over those that truly serve the public interest. Key arguments for banning it include the risk of prejudicing criminal trials and undermining witness credibility. However, a blanket ban could also restrict legitimate newsgathering, and it is difficult to clearly define which stories are in the public interest versus merely interesting to the public.