MediaLawLetter July 2015
MLRC
From the Executive Director’s Desk
Ken Stabler: R.I.P. – and the Story of a Libel Case
LIBEL & PRIVACY
E.D. Pa.: Unsealing the Cosby Documents
Comedian Voluntarily Narrowed His Zone of Privacy
Constand v. Cosby
Wis. Cir.: Ex-Firefighter’s Defamation Claim Extinguished
“Kelly’s Court” Segment on Disability Recipient Protected Opinion
Marjala v. Fox News Network
6th Cir.: Single Publication Rule Bars Former American Idol Contestants’ Libel Suit
Online Articles Are Not Perpetually Actionable Under Tennessee Defamation Law
Clark v. Viacom
N.Y. App.: New York Court Reduces Damage Award for Libelous Online Review
$125,000 Award Cut to $100
Lynn & Cahill v. Witkin
Or. App.: Oregon Court of Appeals Strikes SLAPP Suit Against TV Station
No Likelihood of Success on Negligence and Emotional Distress Claims
Mullen v. Meredith Corp.
Tex. App.: Appeals Court Reverses Denial of Publisher’s Anti-SLAPP Motion in “Shoot on Sight” Libel Lawsuit
Dallas Morning News, Inc. v. Mapp
Tex. App.: Texas Court of Appeals Reverses Wiretap Conviction
Coach Had No Privacy Interest in Locker Room Talks
Long v. Texas
6th Cir.: Developments in the Emerging Law of Butt Dialing
Huff et al v. Spaw
INTERNET
From the MLRC Next Gen Committee
Is the Right to Be Forgotten Among Our Unalienable Rights?
N.D. Ill.: Backpage.com Obtains TRO to Stop Interference with Payment Processing for Adult Ads
Pressure on Credit Card Companies Threatened Irreparable First Amendment Injury
Backpage.com v. Dart
Wash. App.: Washington Court Provides Standard for Unmasking Anonymous Posters (Sort Of)
Standard May Vary Based on Nature of Speech
Thomson v. Doe
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
2d Cir.: Director Does Not Have a Separate Copyright in Contributions Integrated in a Motion Picture
Director Cannot Interfere with Producer’s Exploitation of the Film
16 Casa Duse v. Merkin
C.D. Cal.: Streaming Service FilmOn Found to be Eligible for Statutory Broadcast Retransmission License
Alki David Gets First Win, But FCC or Congress Could Have Last Word
Fox Television Stations, Inc. v. FilmOn X, LLC
EMPLOYMENT
2d Cir.: The Second Circuit’s New Primary Beneficiary Test
When Are Interns Entitled to Wages and Overtime?
Glatt v. Fox Searchlight Pictures, Inc.