MediaLawLetter October 2024
Favre’s Defamation Suit Sacked by Fifth Circuit; Publishers Win Anti-SLAPP Motion and Fee Award in Lawsuit Over Book Cover; Third Circuit Cites First Amendment to Limit § 230 Protection; London Conference Recap, and more.
London Conference a Resounding Success with Engaging Panels, Fun Receptions
George FreemanMLRC executive director on the various panels and parties constituting MLRC's latest biennial London Conference.
Brett Favre’s Defamation Suit Gets Sacked by Fifth Circuit
Mark FijmanThe court concluded that Mississippi defamation law protected Sharpe’s pointed commentary as non-actionable opinion based on disclosed factual premises.
NH Court Rules Union Leader Op-ed “Merely Expressive Rhetoric … Not Designed to Assert Factual Allegations”
William L. ChapmanOp-ed charged plaintiff with supporting white supremist ideology.
Court Dismisses Defamation Claims Brought By Buffalo Strip Club Owner
Daniela Abratt-CohenA Buffalo strip club owner who alleged he had been defamed by news articles about his arrest cannot proceed with his claims after a Miami judge ruled that the reporting at issue was substantially true, privileged as an official report, and protected by the wire service defense.
Court Dismisses Libel Claim by Former Nonprofit Leader Accused of Bad-Boss Behavior
Matthew S.L. Cate and Alia L. SmithA former executive director of a non-profit research group focused on gender equality failed to state a libel claim arising from an article about her embattled leadership and working conditions during her tenure, a district court judge ruled in September.
Publishers Win Anti-SLAPP Motion and Fee Award in Lawsuit Over Book Cover
David Aronoff and Josh BornsteinThe lawsuit involved claims by plaintiff Patrick Wizmann, who alleged that a statement written on the dust jacket of the book Dreams Don’t Die is allegedly false and misleading.
Court Applies Rogers v. Grimaldi to Dismiss Trademark Case Over Book Cover and Use of Photographs
Elizabeth SchilkenIn a ruling reaffirming the vitality of the Rogers v. Grimaldi test on motions to dismiss, a federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit alleging the bestselling memoir Surviving to Drive, authored by Formula 1 racing figure Guenther Steiner, infringed the trademarks of a corporate sponsor.
Third Circuit Cites First Amendment to Limit § 230 Protection
Jeff HermesIn its opinion in Anderson v. TikTok, the Third Circuit held that Section 230 offers no protection for the sua sponte recommendation of content by social media platforms.