it’s the sex tape that shook the media
the sensational trial pitting the former
WWE star against Gawker and left Gawker
on the ropes we make clear editorial
judgments about what is worth publishing
know what’s legal but what’s worth
publishing and what’s not welcome to
watchmojo.com down 10 crucial facts you
should know about the legal battle
between Hulk Hogan and Gawker Hogan’s
lawyers arguing this isn’t about Hogan’s
morals but Gawker’s putting its very
culture on trial number 10
why did Hulk Hogan sue Gawker in October
2012 the media website Gawker published
a montage clip taken from a sex tape
involving the professional wrestler Hulk
Hogan in the clip Hogan is seen with
Heather Klem the then girlfriend of
Hogan’s best friend Bubba the Love
Sponge Clem the encounter in question
reportedly happened in 2006 when Hogan
was still married to the mother of his
two children Hogan who claimed he was
unaware that he was being filmed settled
with Bubba for $5,000 but took on Gawker
in a multi-million dollar high-profile
court case saying that the published
clip was not newsworthy and was posted
only for financial gain
causing Hogan emotional distress
Burswood did to me as a person but he
was it was even embarrassing as number 9
who is Hulk Hogan Hulk Hogan whose real
name is Terry Bollea is an American
professional wrestler and reality TV
star the WWE Hall of Famer enjoyed
massive popularity during the 80s and
90s featuring on the rosters for both
the WWE formerly WWF and the WCW he’s a
12-time world champion and a
back-to-back Royal Rumble winner well
known for his running leg drop finishing
move ripping his way out of his shirt
and for exaggeratedly playing to the
audience Hulk’s crossover popularity
also enabled him to pursue a Hollywood
acting career
and established him as a TV personality
with shows such as Hogan knows best
ah not as long as my name is Hulk Hogan
no she’s not going out and American
Gladiators number eight what is gar
first launched in 2003 and founded by
Nick Denton Gawker is an online media
company consisting of seven main
lifestyle blogs including the gadget
oriented Gizmodo sports centric Deadspin
and women targeted site Jezebel Business
Insider has valued Gawker at 250 million
dollars with it’s worth steadily
increasing every year in 2013 judge
pamela campbell ordered Gawker to take
down the clip of Hogan but it refused
the case against the company has since
become a case in point for journalism in
general with many high-profile
supporters including eBay co-founder
Pierre Omidyar number seven who is Peter
Thiel a German American entrepreneur
co-founder of PayPal and the first
outside investor in facebook Peter Thiel
is one of Silicon Valley’s greatest
success stories in May 2016
teal revealed during an interview with
the New York Times that he had given ten
million dollars to finance several
lawsuits against Gawker Media including
Hogan’s sex tape scandal though Gawker
published an article in 2007 discussing
teal sexuality Hulk’s backer says he
isn’t mainly motivated by revenge but
rather by a desire to fight back against
privacy violations by the press
according to teal Gawker has quote
ruined people’s lives for no reason
number 6 what was garz argument for
publishing the article the entire
lawsuit is built around the idea of news
and what legally counts as newsworthy
while Hogan claims that the sex tape
isn’t appropriate for the public domain
and equates to commercial exploitation
Gawker claims protection by the First
Amendment arguing that the tape is a
matter of legitimate public concern
given Hogan’s huge public profile and
the fact that he has openly discussed
his sex life in the past most of the
stories that we publish I’m not just
happy to defend I’m delighted to defend
because
I think that they are essential to free
expression and the free press
Gawker also argued that the clip was
presented in a newsworthy manner as it
was accompanied by a 1,400 word article
and had been edited down from 30 minutes
to just a couple number five what was
the final verdict a verdict was
delivered on March 18th 2016 when the
six-person jury ruled in favor of Hogan
and found Gawker Media libel for 115
million dollars in compensatory damages
and 25 million dollars in punitive
damages
Gawker mounted an appeal but was
unsuccessful in overturning the decision
as of early June 2016
Hogan’s lawyer David Houston said in a
released statement quote Gawker has
failed and continues to fail in
recognizing their obligation to Belaya
for their reprehensible behavior and
method of doing what they call
journalism number four could this
lawsuit bankrupt Gawker Hogan’s nine
figure award is a huge sum in a trial of
this type far exceeding average payouts
for major physical injuries and even
wrongful death in America and for Gawker
it could prove to be impossible to
recover from such a financial hit if the
judge imposes a 50 million dollar bond
then the company is likely to collapse
under figures that are simply too
massive to manage in the wake of Nick
Denton stubborn defense of Gawker’s
right to publish the video The Guardian
reports that he could go down as quote
both creator and destroyer of the web
blog business number three has Gawker
been sued before he only has himself to
blame for the predicament that he’s in
though it has never been involved in a
trial as high-profile or as damaging as
this one Gawker is no stranger to the
courtroom in January 2014 Hollywood
director Quentin Tarantino filed a
copyright lawsuit against the company
after it published links to the 146 page
screenplay for the hateful eight got me
one more quote Gawker Media has made a
business of predatory journalism
violating people’s rights to make a buck
set a statement on Tarantino’s behalf
Gawker has also been sued from within as
in 2013 a group of unpaid interns pushed
for minimum wage payment for their
roles in the company in this instance
the court ruled in favor of Gawker
number two could this effect journalism
while many will have cheered Hogan’s
potential knockout blow to Gawker in
court the ruling against the media
company may have harsh implications for
journalism in general the 140 million
dollar total damages set a new precedent
for cases of this type and indicates a
significant shift in power other firms
that have watched gawkers punishment
unfold may vow to never find themselves
in a similar position which could result
in increasingly safe journalism in the
future regardless of whether the Hogan
sex tape should have been published or
not the trial has forced the media to
rethink its practices because one bad
decision could place your company at the
brink of bankruptcy number one what is
goes next step I think in many people’s
eyes you know just trying to draw the
line between privacy and the Free Press
Nick Denton and Gawker have vowed to
continue the fight against Hulk Hogan to
clear the company’s name and escape the
payment of damages we do put the story
first and I am unapologetic about that
in response to Peter Thiel’s
confirmation as Hogan’s financial backer
Gawker now has a Silicon Valley
billionaire in its own corner eBay
co-founder Pierre Omidyar Omidyar and
teal are previously linked as eBay
bought PayPal in 2002 after which teal
eventually left the company along with
other former PayPal executives as of May
2016 Denton was reportedly considering a
potential sale of Gawker after the
company’s motion for a new trial was
denied it’s a serious case so while
Hogan was able to celebrate with a royal
win for the time being that doesn’t mean
the story isn’t set to rumble on for
some time
did these facts get you thinking to vote
for which new story is covered next
head over to watchmojo.com slash suggest
and be sure to hit that subscribe button
for more newsworthy top 10s published
every week tonight marks the turning
point of my career
the sensational trial pitting the former
WWE star against Gawker and left Gawker
on the ropes we make clear editorial
judgments about what is worth publishing
know what’s legal but what’s worth
publishing and what’s not welcome to
watchmojo.com down 10 crucial facts you
should know about the legal battle
between Hulk Hogan and Gawker Hogan’s
lawyers arguing this isn’t about Hogan’s
morals but Gawker’s putting its very
culture on trial number 10
why did Hulk Hogan sue Gawker in October
2012 the media website Gawker published
a montage clip taken from a sex tape
involving the professional wrestler Hulk
Hogan in the clip Hogan is seen with
Heather Klem the then girlfriend of
Hogan’s best friend Bubba the Love
Sponge Clem the encounter in question
reportedly happened in 2006 when Hogan
was still married to the mother of his
two children Hogan who claimed he was
unaware that he was being filmed settled
with Bubba for $5,000 but took on Gawker
in a multi-million dollar high-profile
court case saying that the published
clip was not newsworthy and was posted
only for financial gain
causing Hogan emotional distress
Burswood did to me as a person but he
was it was even embarrassing as number 9
who is Hulk Hogan Hulk Hogan whose real
name is Terry Bollea is an American
professional wrestler and reality TV
star the WWE Hall of Famer enjoyed
massive popularity during the 80s and
90s featuring on the rosters for both
the WWE formerly WWF and the WCW he’s a
12-time world champion and a
back-to-back Royal Rumble winner well
known for his running leg drop finishing
move ripping his way out of his shirt
and for exaggeratedly playing to the
audience Hulk’s crossover popularity
also enabled him to pursue a Hollywood
acting career
and established him as a TV personality
with shows such as Hogan knows best
ah not as long as my name is Hulk Hogan
no she’s not going out and American
Gladiators number eight what is gar
first launched in 2003 and founded by
Nick Denton Gawker is an online media
company consisting of seven main
lifestyle blogs including the gadget
oriented Gizmodo sports centric Deadspin
and women targeted site Jezebel Business
Insider has valued Gawker at 250 million
dollars with it’s worth steadily
increasing every year in 2013 judge
pamela campbell ordered Gawker to take
down the clip of Hogan but it refused
the case against the company has since
become a case in point for journalism in
general with many high-profile
supporters including eBay co-founder
Pierre Omidyar number seven who is Peter
Thiel a German American entrepreneur
co-founder of PayPal and the first
outside investor in facebook Peter Thiel
is one of Silicon Valley’s greatest
success stories in May 2016
teal revealed during an interview with
the New York Times that he had given ten
million dollars to finance several
lawsuits against Gawker Media including
Hogan’s sex tape scandal though Gawker
published an article in 2007 discussing
teal sexuality Hulk’s backer says he
isn’t mainly motivated by revenge but
rather by a desire to fight back against
privacy violations by the press
according to teal Gawker has quote
ruined people’s lives for no reason
number 6 what was garz argument for
publishing the article the entire
lawsuit is built around the idea of news
and what legally counts as newsworthy
while Hogan claims that the sex tape
isn’t appropriate for the public domain
and equates to commercial exploitation
Gawker claims protection by the First
Amendment arguing that the tape is a
matter of legitimate public concern
given Hogan’s huge public profile and
the fact that he has openly discussed
his sex life in the past most of the
stories that we publish I’m not just
happy to defend I’m delighted to defend
because
I think that they are essential to free
expression and the free press
Gawker also argued that the clip was
presented in a newsworthy manner as it
was accompanied by a 1,400 word article
and had been edited down from 30 minutes
to just a couple number five what was
the final verdict a verdict was
delivered on March 18th 2016 when the
six-person jury ruled in favor of Hogan
and found Gawker Media libel for 115
million dollars in compensatory damages
and 25 million dollars in punitive
damages
Gawker mounted an appeal but was
unsuccessful in overturning the decision
as of early June 2016
Hogan’s lawyer David Houston said in a
released statement quote Gawker has
failed and continues to fail in
recognizing their obligation to Belaya
for their reprehensible behavior and
method of doing what they call
journalism number four could this
lawsuit bankrupt Gawker Hogan’s nine
figure award is a huge sum in a trial of
this type far exceeding average payouts
for major physical injuries and even
wrongful death in America and for Gawker
it could prove to be impossible to
recover from such a financial hit if the
judge imposes a 50 million dollar bond
then the company is likely to collapse
under figures that are simply too
massive to manage in the wake of Nick
Denton stubborn defense of Gawker’s
right to publish the video The Guardian
reports that he could go down as quote
both creator and destroyer of the web
blog business number three has Gawker
been sued before he only has himself to
blame for the predicament that he’s in
though it has never been involved in a
trial as high-profile or as damaging as
this one Gawker is no stranger to the
courtroom in January 2014 Hollywood
director Quentin Tarantino filed a
copyright lawsuit against the company
after it published links to the 146 page
screenplay for the hateful eight got me
one more quote Gawker Media has made a
business of predatory journalism
violating people’s rights to make a buck
set a statement on Tarantino’s behalf
Gawker has also been sued from within as
in 2013 a group of unpaid interns pushed
for minimum wage payment for their
roles in the company in this instance
the court ruled in favor of Gawker
number two could this effect journalism
while many will have cheered Hogan’s
potential knockout blow to Gawker in
court the ruling against the media
company may have harsh implications for
journalism in general the 140 million
dollar total damages set a new precedent
for cases of this type and indicates a
significant shift in power other firms
that have watched gawkers punishment
unfold may vow to never find themselves
in a similar position which could result
in increasingly safe journalism in the
future regardless of whether the Hogan
sex tape should have been published or
not the trial has forced the media to
rethink its practices because one bad
decision could place your company at the
brink of bankruptcy number one what is
goes next step I think in many people’s
eyes you know just trying to draw the
line between privacy and the Free Press
Nick Denton and Gawker have vowed to
continue the fight against Hulk Hogan to
clear the company’s name and escape the
payment of damages we do put the story
first and I am unapologetic about that
in response to Peter Thiel’s
confirmation as Hogan’s financial backer
Gawker now has a Silicon Valley
billionaire in its own corner eBay
co-founder Pierre Omidyar Omidyar and
teal are previously linked as eBay
bought PayPal in 2002 after which teal
eventually left the company along with
other former PayPal executives as of May
2016 Denton was reportedly considering a
potential sale of Gawker after the
company’s motion for a new trial was
denied it’s a serious case so while
Hogan was able to celebrate with a royal
win for the time being that doesn’t mean
the story isn’t set to rumble on for
some time
did these facts get you thinking to vote
for which new story is covered next
head over to watchmojo.com slash suggest
and be sure to hit that subscribe button
for more newsworthy top 10s published
every week tonight marks the turning
point of my career
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