Lee Enterprises Files for Bankruptcy

Newspaper group Lee Enterprises files for bankruptcy

6:03 p.m. EST, December 12, 2011

(Reuters) - Lee Enterprises Inc , which publishes 48 daily newspapers including St. Louis Post-Dispatch, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to refinance nearly $1 billion in debt, as newspapers struggle with falling advertisement dollars and dwindling readership.

In a filing with Delaware bankruptcy court, Lee Enterprises listed liabilities of $994.5 million and assets of $1.15 billion.

The bankruptcy filing plan comes two months after the company had reached an agreement with most its lenders to refinance $769.5 million of its distressed loans.

Most local newspaper publishers in the United States have been hit by dropping circulation and falling advertising revenue, forcing them to sell off or shut several publications.

Tribune Co, the owner of the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune newspapers, had earlier filed a third reorganization plan with the U.S. bankruptcy court.

Lee was founded in 1890 in Ottumwa, Iowa, by A.W. Lee. Most of the company's newspapers trace their beginnings to the mid-1800s. Among Lee's alumni are Mark Twain, Willa Cather and Thornton Wilder.

The case is: Lee Enterprises, Case No. 11-13918, U.S. bankruptcy court, District of Delaware.

Court: Blogger not Journalist

Court Says Blogger Isn’t a ‘Journalist’ — Implications for Hyperlocal

1 Comment and 0 Reactions 06 December 2011 by Brian Dengler

A federal judge in Portland, Oregon has declared that a local “investigative blogger,” doesn’t qualify as a journalist — calling into question whether online hyperlocal news publishers should be treated differently than traditional media.

Chrystal Cox calls herself an “investigative blogger” and runs sites “exposing corruption.” Obsidian Finance Group filed a $10 million defamation claim against Cox in Portland, alleging that she made several defamatory postings against Obsidian and its co-founder, Kevin Padrick. Cox defended herself in federal court but lost. According to a report by Seattle Weekly, she faces a $2.5 million judgment.

Cox claimed her information for the Obsidian postings came from a confidential source, and, therefore, Oregon’s Shield Law protected her from disclosing her source at trial. In an opinion filed on November 30, 2011, Federal Judge Marco Hernandez disagreed, ruling that Oregon’s Shield Law was limited to traditional media like newspapers, broadcast stations, magazines, and news services — but not to an “investigative blogger” who was not affiliated with traditional media.

The court further concluded that Cox was not entitled to claim other defenses against damages that could be raised by traditional media because she failed to prove she was a bona fide journalist. “Defendant fails to bring forth any evidence suggestive of her status as a journalist,” Judge Hernandez wrote. Hernandez ruled that Cox failed to show, among other things, that she had any education in journalism or “any credential of proof of any affiliation with an recognized news entity.” Cox told Seattle Weekly that she plans to appeal the ruling.

Last June 2011, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that a journalist’s posting on an online discussion board was not entitled to protection under New Jersey’s Shield law. The court concluded that message boards were not similar to traditional new organizations protected by the law.

Although Cox was not a hyperlocal news publisher, the decisions raise concern on whether online hyperlocal news sites, some of them published in blog format, should be viewed and treated differently than traditional media. That question remains unresolved, but it serves as a reminder that getting the facts right is paramount in avoiding trouble.

This article is provided for information only and does not provide legal advice.

AP Does Xmas

12/05/2011


AP Advisory


AP compiles Holiday Style Guide

The Associated Press has compiled a Holiday Style Guide of words, phrases and definitions to help its members and subscribers with spelling and usage of traditional terms for religious and cultural holidays in December and January. The guidance, compiled by the AP Stylebook and Lifestyles teams, encompasses Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year’s festivities. Some terms are taken from the AP Stylebook. Others are common usage in holiday stories transmitted by AP. Below, see a list of traditional terms sent in an advisory Dec. 5 to AP members and subscribers.

#

Advent
The four Sundays preceding Christmas.

“Auld Lang Syne”
Sung to greet the New Year, poem by Robert Burns set to Scottish music.

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) --
Dateline for AP stories from the biblical site of Jesus’ birth.

Bible
Capitalize in reference to the Scriptures; lowercase biblical in all uses.

Boxing Day
Post-Christmas holiday Dec. 26 In British Commonwealth countries.

Champagne
Capitalize sparkling wine from the French region uncorked to celebrate New Year’s.

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Capitalize Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 Christian feast marking the birth of Jesus.

Christmastime
One word.

Christmas tree
Lowercase tree and other seasonal terms with Christmas: card, wreath, carol, etc. Exception: National Christmas Tree.

dreidel
Toy spinning top for Jewish celebrations.

hallelujah
Lowercase the biblical praise to God, but capitalize in composition titles: Handel's "Hallelujah" chorus.

Hanukkah
Eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights starting Dec. 20 this year.

Jesus, Jesus Christ
Pronouns referring to him are lowercase, as is savior.

happy holidays, merry Christmas, season’s greetings
Such phrases are generally spelled lowercase, though Christmas is always capitalized.

Holy Land
Capitalize the biblical region.

Kriss Kringle
Not Kris. Derived from the German word, Christkindl, or baby Jesus.

Kwanzaa
African-American and Pan-African celebration of family, community and culture, Dec. 26-Jan. 1.

Magi
Three wise men who brought gifts to the infant Jesus at Epiphany, celebrated Jan. 6.

menorah
Candelabrum with nine branches used for Hanukkah.

Messiah
Capitalized in references to Jesus or to the promised deliverer in Judaism.

Nativity scene
Only the first word is capitalized.

New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day
Capitalized for Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

North Pole
Mythical home of Santa Claus.

poinsettia
Decorative plant for Christmas; note the “ia.”

regifting
Passing along an unwanted present to someone else.

Santa Claus
Brings toys to children in a sleigh pulled by reindeer on Christmas Eve.

“A Visit From St. Nicholas”
Beloved poem by Clement Clarke Moore that begins, “ 'Twas the night before Christmas ...”

"The Twelve Days of Christmas”
Spell the numeral in the Christmas carol.

yule
Old English name for Christmas season; yuletide is also lowercase.

Xmas
Don’t use this abbreviation for Christmas.

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Journalism Scholarships Available

Journalists, Editors Eligible for $5,000 Scholarships for Religion Courses
Study Islam, Religion and Politics, War, Theology -- on us

COLUMBIA, Mo., Nov. 16, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- RELIGION | NEWSWRITERS invites all journalists to apply to its Lilly Scholarships in Religion Program. The scholarships give full-time journalists up to $5,000 to take any college religion courses at any accredited institution at any time.

Religion headlines are dominating news coverage -- sex abuse, religion and politics, Islam in America, Post-9/11 -- now is the perfect time to dig deeper into today's hottest stories. More than 200 people have already taken advantage of RELIGION | NEWSWRITERS' Lilly Scholarships in Religion Program for Journalists.

Topics reporters have studied include: Islamic Movements, God & Politics, Christianity and Culture, Religious Tradition and Scientific Inquiry, Buddhism and Science, Violence and Liberation, Religion and Medicine and many more.

"The courses led to dozens of story ideas and new resources. I came out a sharper researcher and writer, two benefits I was not expecting going in," said Eric Marrapodi of CNN who took four Lilly scholarship courses in the last three years at Georgetown University.

The scholarships can be used at accredited colleges, universities, seminaries or similar institutions. Journalists can choose any religion, spirituality or ethics course. Scholarships cover tuition, books, registration fees, parking and other course-related costs. Online and travel classes are also eligible (as long as travel costs are part of the curriculum).

All full-time journalists working in the general circulation news media -- including reporters, editors, designers, copy editors, editorial writers, news directors, researchers and producers -- are eligible, regardless of their beat.

The next scholarship application deadline is Jan. 1, 2012. Scholarships must be used within three academic quarters of their award date.

RELIGION | NEWSWRITERS is the world's only association for journalists who write about religion in the mainstream news media. The scholarships are offered through its non-profit arm, the Religion Newswriters Foundation, with funding from the Lilly Endowment, Inc.

Complete information about the Lilly Scholarships in Religion program is available at bit.ly/j8MOOg. Direct questions to Amy Schiska at 573-355-5201 ext. 3#, or Schiska@RNA.org.

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Twin Cities TV Station Loses Defamation Suit

KSTP hit with $1 million defamation verdict

Article by: HERÓN MÁRQUEZ ESTRADA , Star Tribune
Updated: November 8, 2011 - 7:14 AM

A holistic healer said she was defamed by a 2009 news story.


A Dakota County jury has awarded a holistic healer from Hudson, Wis., $1 million in compensatory damages from KSTP-TV for a March 2009 story it aired about her treatment of a patient, attorneys for both sides said Monday night.

The jury's award is believed to be the largest verdict ever in a Minnesota defamation lawsuit.

Jurors made the award Friday after a weeklong trial before District Judge Richard Spicer, and returned Monday to deliberate on punitive damages. They declined to issue a punitive award.

Attorney Paul Hannah, who represented KSTP, said he based his argument against punitive damages on the fact that the $1 million compensatory award was the largest in state history for such a case and therefore sufficient punishment for the broadcaster.

"I believe that to be the case, that this is the largest," said Hannah, a prominent Minneapolis media law attorney who expects that KSTP, Channel 5 in the Twin Cities, will appeal the verdict and file motions to get it reduced or overturned.

The lawsuit also named as defendants Cheryl and Eric Blaha, former patients of the holistic healer, but the jury found that they were not liable for monetary damages.

The gist of KSTP's story was that Susan Anderson, then known as Susan Wahl, a Hudson doctor of naturopathy, had "de-prescribed" anti-anxiety medication to Cheryl Blaha. Cheryl Blaha then claimed to KSTP in interviews that she had tried to commit suicide as a result of being weaned from the medicine by Anderson.

The story was reported by KSTP's Jennifer Griswold, who declined to comment Monday night when reached by phone, saying any reaction would have to come from Hannah. Hannah said he is not sure whether KSTP plans to issue any statement regarding the verdict.

Naturopathy is an alternative medicine based on the belief that vital energy or vital forces help the body regulate such things as metabolism, reproduction and growth.

In her suit, Anderson claimed medical records indicated that Blaha's own medical doctor had reduced the medication and that there was no proof of the alleged suicide attempt, said Patrick Tierney, Anderson's lawyer.

"That was certainly the heart of it," Tierney said Monday night. "KSTP bought [Blaha's story] hook, line and sinker, and that's what this case was about."

Jury found 'actual malice'

Tierney said he has handled other defamation cases that resulted in verdicts in the high six figures, but none as large as the one against KSTP.

"It's significant," he said, noting that the jury found "actual malice" in its verdict against KSTP, which he said would make it almost impossible for the award to be overturned or reduced.

But Hannah said he will file motions in coming weeks attempting to do just that. He would not elaborate, but the possible grounds for making such post-verdict motions are that the instructions to the jury regarding the law were incorrect or that the facts did not merit such a high award.

Anderson, in a memorandum in support of the suit, claimed KSTP "knew that the story ... was false," as evidenced by pages and pages of medical records dating back to 2007.

Tierney stated that a week after the alleged suicide attempt, the woman met with her doctor "and never mentioned any suicide attempt."

He said the same records also indicate that KSTP knew the claim that Blaha's doctor did not know Blaha was weaning herself from the anti-anxiety medication was false.

Tierney said the jury awarded Anderson about $100,000 for lost earnings, past and future, and $900,000 for damage to her reputation as a result of the broadcast story.

KSTP "created a report instead of reporting on something," he said.

Minneapolis media attorney John Borger said that, although he could not say with absolute certainty that the $1 million verdict is the highest in state history, he could not think of a higher one.

Tierney, Hannah and Borger all said they know of awards in the $700,000 range, but nothing to equal this one.

"If this is not the highest, it's certainly right up there," Borger said.