Crystal Cox

Crystal Cox was ordered to pay $ 2.5 million for defamation, bloggers are not journalists!!

Blogger Crystal Cox was ordered to pay $ 2.5 million defamation lawsuit filed by a group of Obsidian Finance, reports AP. Cox runs several investigative blogs that primarily focus on finance, real estate and the like. Her blog Obsidian Finance Sucks accused the company and executive Kevin Padrick and state tax fraud.After the company sent her to cease and desist letter, Cox issued a statement:"Yes, I am a self-proclaimed Investigative Blogger and in accordance with the decision of the Supreme Court, in accordance with the law, how to make a living as an Investigative Blogger, news gathering, attending interviews, and reporting of these stories I media [sic]. I'm an independent news media. I am a public forum, a blog really go to the news feeds, and I am legally media [sic] "

 

But the judge disagreed. Judge Mark Hernandez wrote that because of the lack of Cox Education in Journalism, no credentials or proof of affiliation to any recognized news entity, as well as its inability to contact the other side to get both sides of the story, Cox not a member of the media, so that journalistic shield laws do not apply to alleged defamation statements Cox wrote on his blog. She had to pay Obsidian $ 2,5 million in damages.Cox said it plans to appeal the Yahoo decision because bloggers should be recognized as journalists, to protect them from such lawsuits. She says, "a blogger, journalist, or statements [sic] in my opinion, if they are interviewed, receive tips by e-mail, receive documents and studies, and case study evidence, talk to those personally involved, and After their story just as a traditional reporter.

She adds that bloggers are "often without any restrictions in order to please their advertisers, or a local politician or a corporate machine."Cox on the site, she posted a thing about what to ask when it is not a journalist or media member, how did what she wrote influenced by Obsidian Finance in any case? Which misses the point. Anyone can defame someone. You do not need to be a journalist to commit libel.The court wanted her to produce the sources to back up her claims, and she tried to say that she was a journalist and should be protected from having to disclose sources. The court ruled that it is not a journalist, and therefore not protected by journalistic shield.

And the court is correct in this case. Just the fact of a posting in the blog does not automatically make one a journalist, in any of our existing laws. It is not necessary, because there must be some standards. Line to be drawn somewhere.The reason journalists are protected by law because they are also bound by journalistic ethics and practices. This exchange - the law protects you when you do your job in accordance with reporters standards.

The court ruled that one of the reasons, Crystal, not a journalist, because she does not want to tell on both sides of this story is that the journalists should be doing.But not every blogger a journalist? Some of these rooms. A number of journalists bloggers. The problem is that the statutes and laws should be amended to include "new media", so that there are requirements and thresholds in place that define the journalists, their ethical principles and standards, and laws that protect them.