Describing the company ground-beef product as pink slime

Assignment Help Operation Management

Reference no: EM132301553

In 2012, ABC news ran a story regarding BPI, a South Dakota meat processing company, describing the company’s ground-beef product as pink slime. The company sued ABC News for defamation claiming that the term nearly put the company out of business, forcing them to close down several plants (3 out of 4 plants) due to a decrease in revenue (a drop of 80%) as a result of the report. The company sued ABC for $5.7 billion dollars, claiming that ABC, and its reporters Diane Sawyer and Jim Avila, defamed the company by using the term “pink slime” and making errors and omissions in its 2012 reporting. The company argued that it took 30 years to succeed in the industry and it took ABC less than 30 days to damage the company irreparably. But ABC lawyer argued there was no defamation because “pink slime” was a common term, used more than 3,800 times in the media prior to ABC’s reports. They also claimed that the company already lost customers prior to the report due to the unhappiness with the product. ABC claimed their coverage was accurate and deserved first amendment protection. Diana Sawyer, when deposed for the case, stated: “I read the script and it seemed to be factual and fair and seemed to be credible reporting.” Please answer the following questions in your original post:

(1) Is the report considered defamatory? Product disparagement? Why or why not? (2) Please provide a definition of defamation and apply the case to all elements of defamation to form the basis for your answer. (3) Why do we have defamation laws in this country? (4) Are defamation laws federal laws, state laws, or both?

Reference no: EM132301553

Questions Cloud

Describes poor design consideration for form : Which of the following describes a poor design consideration for a form? To secure an Access database, all of the following should be done except.

What are the most salient economic and ethical issues : What are the most salient economic and ethical issues in the Case? How can leaders keep cool in a crisis?

Completing exhausting three hour operation : Two weeks earlier, Dr. Heartache explained, he emerged from the operating room after completing an exhausting three hour operation.

Data collected on the yearly registrations for six sigma : Data collected on the yearly registrations for a Six Sigma seminar at the Quality College are shown in the following? table:

Describing the company ground-beef product as pink slime : In 2012, ABC news ran a story regarding BPI, a South Dakota meat processing company, describing the company’s ground-beef product as pink slime.

Develop a Project Report based on scenario : MNG00785 Project Management Assignment - Project Report, Southern Cross University, Australia. Develop a Project Report based on scenario

How engineering problems can be collaboratively solved : ENG101 Foundations of Engineering Assignment - problem-solving report, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia. How engineering problems can be solved

Complete the fulfilment process for this purchase order : Create the finished product material for the Grand Tourer - Complete the fulfilment process for this Purchase Order - Display Material BOM

Data flow diagram of payroll system : Appreciate the opportunities for computer fraud and the security measures in electronic commerce that need to be taken to overcome this

User Account

All Pages