Comments on: Independent journalists need legal protection, too http://www.journalism20.com/blog/2009/03/14/independent-journalists-need-legal-protection-too/ How to survive and thrive in the digital age Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:27:02 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Barbara Iverson http://www.journalism20.com/blog/2009/03/14/independent-journalists-need-legal-protection-too/comment-page-1/#comment-3189 Barbara Iverson Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:52:48 +0000 http://www.journalism20.com/blog/?p=372#comment-3189 The Media Bloggers Association suggestion is a good one. You take an online test, to make sure you understand some basic principles. The Media Bloggers Association suggestion is a good one. You take an online test, to make sure you understand some basic principles.

]]> By: Darrell Todd Maurina http://www.journalism20.com/blog/2009/03/14/independent-journalists-need-legal-protection-too/comment-page-1/#comment-3155 Darrell Todd Maurina Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:32:39 +0000 http://www.journalism20.com/blog/?p=372#comment-3155 Liability for independent journalists is a serious problem, and not one to be taken lightly, especially in smaller communities where lots of people don't understand libel law and there are some attorneys willing to make a quick buck off filing a frivolous libel lawsuit. I've been threatened with lawsuits about two to three times per year. Almost all of them are idiotic threats ... one guy actually threatened to sue me for printing his gas station's gas prices that were publicly advertised with a large sign on one of the city's most heavily traveled streets. The nice thing is that from my background covering cops, courts and government, I know nearly all the attorneys in town and some of them call me for my advice on interpreting the Missouri Sunshine Law since nobody here specializes in media law. Long-term, the Pulaski County Daily News will be eligible to apply to the Missouri Press Association as an online newspaper after three years in operation and association members have access to their corporate counsel. I suspect many state press associations will have similar arrangements. But that doesn't solve the problem for everybody in every state and costs can still be astronomical with an aggressive lawsuit effort by an angry businessman with a lot of money to burn -- even if he loses. Liability for independent journalists is a serious problem, and not one to be taken lightly, especially in smaller communities where lots of people don’t understand libel law and there are some attorneys willing to make a quick buck off filing a frivolous libel lawsuit.

I’ve been threatened with lawsuits about two to three times per year. Almost all of them are idiotic threats … one guy actually threatened to sue me for printing his gas station’s gas prices that were publicly advertised with a large sign on one of the city’s most heavily traveled streets.

The nice thing is that from my background covering cops, courts and government, I know nearly all the attorneys in town and some of them call me for my advice on interpreting the Missouri Sunshine Law since nobody here specializes in media law.

Long-term, the Pulaski County Daily News will be eligible to apply to the Missouri Press Association as an online newspaper after three years in operation and association members have access to their corporate counsel. I suspect many state press associations will have similar arrangements. But that doesn’t solve the problem for everybody in every state and costs can still be astronomical with an aggressive lawsuit effort by an angry businessman with a lot of money to burn — even if he loses.

]]> By: Curt Milton http://www.journalism20.com/blog/2009/03/14/independent-journalists-need-legal-protection-too/comment-page-1/#comment-3145 Curt Milton Sat, 14 Mar 2009 15:12:00 +0000 http://www.journalism20.com/blog/?p=372#comment-3145 On the Media <a href="http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2008/10/03/06" rel="nofollow">reported</a> on this problem last fall. You don't need to get sued, just threatened with a suit, for it to have a chilling effect on your work. The Media Bloggers Association offers liability insurance. You have to <a href="http://www.mediabloggers.org/cgi-bin/newregistration.cgi" rel="nofollow">join</a> the group and pass a test to show you understand liability laws (they have an online course to help you brush up). They also have access to lawyers to help defend bloggers. I think it's unwise to assume bloggers/independent journalists won't be a target of lawsuits. As the On the Media story reported, all it takes is the threat to shut down a blog. On the Media reported on this problem last fall. You don’t need to get sued, just threatened with a suit, for it to have a chilling effect on your work.

The Media Bloggers Association offers liability insurance. You have to join the group and pass a test to show you understand liability laws (they have an online course to help you brush up). They also have access to lawyers to help defend bloggers.

I think it’s unwise to assume bloggers/independent journalists won’t be a target of lawsuits. As the On the Media story reported, all it takes is the threat to shut down a blog.

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