Gawker, Hulk Hogan, and the First Amendment

Gawker, Hulk Hogan, and the First Amendment

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A jury in St. Petersburg, Florida, found that Gawker Media must pay $140 million in damages to the wrestler Hulk Hogan (real name Terry Bollea). The case is about Gawker publishing an excerpt of a tape showing Hogan having sex with his friend’s then-wife — a tape Hogan claims he did not know his friend was filming. The case has raised concerns about First Amendment protections because Gawker is claiming the post was newsworthy and in the public interest — and Hulk Hogan is claiming that Gawker caused him emotional distress by invading his privacy. 

Gawker Media’s President and General Counsel, Heather Dietrick, talks to Bob about the company’s plan to appeal the decision, why the jury awarded Hogan such a huge sum, and why the public’s appetite for sex tapes has waned.