engine - 3:59 pm on Dec 7, 2011 (gmt 0)

Blogger Not Covered By Journalists' Legal Protection: Fined $2.5 Million [guardian.co.uk]

A blogger in the US state of Oregon has just been ordered by a court to pay $2.5m (£1.6m) to an investment company because of a defamatory posting. Crystal Cox was sued by investment firm Obsidian Finance Group for writing several blog posts that were highly critical of the firm and its co-founder Kevin Padrick. She argued in Portland district court that she should have the same legal protection that is afforded to journalists.

"Although [the] defendant is a self-proclaimed 'investigative blogger' and defines herself as 'media,' the record fails to show that she is affiliated with any newspaper, magazine, periodical, book, pamphlet, news service, wire service, news or feature syndicate, broadcast station or network, or cable television system. Thus, she is not entitled to the protections of the law."