Media Matters

Section 230 Under Attack

On Tuesday, July 28th, Missouri Senator Joshua Hawley introduced a bill to limit protections for companies that “display manipulative, behavioral … Read More

When Fair Use Is Foul

Although publishers often cry “fair use” to defend their use of copyrighted images, two recent federal court decisions highlight the … Read More

5/1 - In a legal motion filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, attorneys for Warner Bros. and Ample LLC argue that Chris Brown’s $500 million defamation lawsuit over the documentary Chris Brown: A History of Violence should be dismissed under California’s anti-SLAPP statute, which protects against lawsuits aimed at chilling free speech on matters of public interest. Brown’s lawsuit, filed in January, claims the documentary knowingly spread false and damaging accusations, harming his reputation and career. He also alleges intentional infliction of emotional distress and seeks punitive damages. Defendants contend the documentary's portrayal of Brown, including allegations of sexual assault, constitutes protected speech under the First Amendment and California’s fair report privilege. They characterize Brown’s suit as a typical attempt by a public figure to silence critical media coverage based on information from public records and legal proceedings.

4/25 - A federal jury ruled against Sarah Palin in her defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, marking the second time a jury has cleared the newspaper of liability. Palin had sued over a 2017 editorial that erroneously linked her political action committee to a 2011 mass shooting, a claim the Times quickly corrected and apologized for. Central to the legal battle was the high bar set by New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964), which requires public figures to prove "actual malice"—that the false statement was published knowingly or with reckless disregard for the truth.

Palin’s legal team sought to challenge this precedent, arguing it was outdated and unjustly burdensome for public figures. However, the jury found after only two hours of deliberation that Palin’s actions did not meet the threshold for actual malice. The appeals court had previously overturned a 2022 dismissal, allowing for the retrial. Legal experts say the case underscores how difficult it is for public figures to succeed in defamation suits, even when journalistic errors occur. Palin has not yet announced if she will appeal.

4/21 - Sarah Palin's defamation retrial against The New York Times began Tuesday. Palin claims the Times "deliberately disregarded" the truth when it erroneously linked her PAC's campaign materials to the 2011 Tucson shooting that injured Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. This marks Palin's third attempt to hold the newspaper liable after a federal appeals court vacated the previous dismissal in 2024. Her lawyers argue the Times' quick correction was insufficient because it didn't mention Palin by name or include an apology. The Times maintains it corrected the record "as loudly, clearly, and quickly as possible" after realizing its mistake in suggesting a "clear" link between Palin's crosshairs map and the shooting. The case tests established legal protections for media against defamation claims by public figures. Under the 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan ruling, public figures must prove "actual malice" to prevail in defamation suits - a standard the Supreme Court recently declined to review in a separate case.

4/14 - Warner Bros. Discovery is seeking to quash a subpoena from Sean "Diddy" Combs' legal team requesting unedited interview footage from the documentary "The Fall of Diddy." Citing the "reporter's privilege,” WBD argues the materials from interviews are protected under the First Amendment and that Combs hasn't met the legal threshold to overcome the privilege, noting courts typically reject broad requests for unpublished journalistic content. WBD also highlights that such interview materials would constitute inadmissible hearsay in Combs' upcoming sex trafficking and racketeering trial, scheduled to begin on May 5. The judge has given Combs until Thursday to respond to the motion.

3/25 - The U.S. Supreme Court recently declined to hear casino mogul Steve Wynn's appeal challenging the 1964 precedent set by New York Times v. Sullivan. This landmark decision established the "actual malice" standard, requiring public figures to prove that defamatory statements were made knowingly or with reckless disregard for the truth. Wynn's defamation lawsuit against the Associated Press, stemming from reports of 1970s-era sexual misconduct allegations, was dismissed under this standard. The Court's decision not to revisit Sullivan maintains the existing standard for defamation, allowing news organizations to report on such figures without the threat of excessive litigation.

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Media Matters

Cameron Stracher

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