Media groups are protesting the attack killing a journalist captured in a remarkable video below — showing an Israeli tank firing and hitting a clearly marked press vehicle. A medical examination showed on Thursday indicated that metal darts from the shell was the cause. Continue reading “Video: Israeli Tank Allegedly Fires on or Near Press Vehicle”
Category: Media
In light of the prior entries on the perils faced by the Fourth Estate, the video below captures how unpredictable live reporting can be. Continue reading “The Perils of the Press”
There is a controversy brewing over at Wikipedia. Someone at the office of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence appears to have edited out an article about Major Alan Rogers, who died serving this country in Iraq. The Pentagon editor apparently objected to the recognition of the fact that Rogers was not only a hero, but gay. Continue reading “Pentagon Accused of Editing Out Wikipedia Reference to Solider’s Sexual Orientation”
Now, this is reality TV at its best. This month, Indians were glued to their television as India’s leading tantrik or black magician Pandit Surinder Sharma tried repeatedly to kill atheist Sanal Edamaruku first with a death-causing tantra and then later with the “ultimate destruction ceremony” on live TV. This display was the result of a high-ranking government official Uma Bharati (former chief minister of the state of Madhya Pradesh) accusing her political opponents of using tantrik to cause disasters in her life. Continue reading “Indian Tantrik Tries to Kill Man on Television with Black Magic”
There has been much speculation about the expected criminal indictment of former Eliot Spitzer, but relatively little about Client No. 9’s co-conspirator, Ashley Alexandra Dupre (AKA “Kristen”). In reality, she faces not just possible criminal but civil charges while rapidly losing her own ability to sue for defamation and privacy violations. With the reported $1 million deal to pose for Hustler magazine, civil litigation may well be considered to ensure that Dupre does not enrich herself on the scandal.
Continue reading “Call Girl Interrupted: Ashley Dupre Could Face Potential Criminal and Civil Charges”
This is hardly a promising start to a day for the Fourth Estate. These videos show attacks on reporters and reporters attacking themselves. Continue reading “Bad Press Day: Reporter Attacks Pole, Family Attacks Reporter, Anchor Attacks Reporter; Reporter Attacks Anchor”
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia blocked the $5000 a day fines imposed on former USA Today reporter Toni Locy by Judge Reggie Walton for refusing to reveal her sources in stories about the criminal investigation of the 2001 anthrax attacks. The lawsuit was brought by Steven Hatfill, a scientist ruined by intentional leaks by government officials. Continue reading “Court Stays Running Fines Against Locy in Anthrax Litigation”
Former USA Today reporter (and now West Virginia journalism professor) Toni Locy faces financial ruin after an extraordinary order from U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton. The court imposed $5000 a day on her personally for refusing to disclose her sources in the case filed by former Army scientist, Steven J. Hatfill related to the 2001 anthrax attacks. The question is whether this order will finally prompt Congress to pass a need federal shield law. Continue reading “Federal Judge’s Order Could Financially Ruin Former Reporter for Protecting Sources”
Pensacola News Journal faces possible insolvency if the Florida Supreme Court upholds an $18 million judgment against it for publishing true facts in a false light case. At issue is the inclusion of true facts about how Joe Anderson, the owner of one of the state’s largest paving companies, killed his wife. The inclusion of those facts in a series on the paving company was viewed as actionable false light — an allegation that a Florida jury accepted. Continue reading “Newspaper Appeals $18 Million for Publishing True Story in False Light Case”
Samantha Power is an award-winning and respected academic has served as Mr Obama’s key foreign policy aide. She has now resigned after the Scotman newspaper published an off-the-record comment about Hillary Clinton, calling her a “monster” who will do or say anything to get elected. What I find most disturbing is the complete absence of journalistic ethics on the part of this newspaper. Years ago, I had a run in with the Scotsman over their publication of an interview or column that they attributed to me. I never gave them an interview or spoke with them. Continue reading “Beware of Scotsman: Aide Fired After Newspaper Publishes Off-Record “Monster” Comment”
Jerry Seinfeld has asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Missy Chase Lapine over comments made about her on national television. Seinfeld insists that he was just joking, but the laugh could be on him under the standard for such pre-trial dismissal. Continue reading “Just Kidding: Seinfeld Moves to Dismiss Lawsuit”
A New York woman has filed in interesting torts case against ABC News over a “Primetime” segment called “Stepfamilies in Crisis.” On the 2006 segment , ABC showed Kyle Nelson, then 15, being held down and punched by her stepfather Joe Nelson. She is now suing the network for failing to intervene and invasion of privacy, among other torts. Continue reading “Abused Girl Sues ABC for Over Filming of Her Beating by Step Father”
Belarus has long been a dangerous place for both free speech and a free press. However, many gasped when a court sentenced journalist Aleksandr Sdvizhkov to three years hard labor for publishing the cartoons of Muhammad that led to worldwide protests. This follows an equally abusive decision of the government to shutdown his newspaper, Zgoda (Consensus), over the incident. Continue reading “Free Press: Journalist Sentenced to Three Years Hard Labor for Publishing Cartoons of Muhammad”
A recent survey in Chicago shows that only one in four Americans can name more than one of the five freedoms contained in the first amendment. Only one in a thousand could name all of the freedoms. However, more than half can name at least two members of the Simpson family. Doh! Of course, Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart and the rest of the characters are not devoid of constitutional significance, as discussed below. Continue reading “Freedom of Speech . . . and Freedom from Knowledge: Only One in 1000 Americans Polled Could Name the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment”
After the loss of many American lives and billions in American dollars, the justice system in Afghanistan seems to be de-evolving back into the Taliban-style Islamic extremism. Journalist Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh, 23, has been sentenced to death for merely downloading material deemed blasphemous to Islam relating to the role of women in Islamic societies. Not only has the U.S.-backed government sentenced him to death, one of its top “justice” officials has threatened to severely punish any reporter even expressing support for Kambakhsh. Continue reading “Afghan Justice: Government Sentences Journalist to Death for Blasphemy Against the Prophet”