Footy Show settles defamation case
Nine will pay $220,000 to avoid a defamation case triggered by comments on the Footy Show that female AFL club directors were "liars and hypocrites."
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Ahead of a defamation case due to begin today, Channel Nine has apologised to Western Bulldogs director Susan Alberti after comments were made about her on The Footy Show last year.
Nine will pay her $220,000 after comments directed to AFL female club directors branded them “liars and hypocrites.”
The on air remarks followed the fallout from Newman’s mannequin-stunt with a picture of sports journalist Caroline Wilson.
After that affair, the AFL club directors wrote a letter of protest to The Footy Show, but Sam Newmanresponded by saying female board members served “little purpose.” Gary Lyon singled out Dr Alberti saying, “What we found hard to work out is that she went out a week later and bought two tables at an auction to The Footy Show and rang the office here … and demanded those tables be up the front.”
Dr Alberti, who claims to have never rung the show’s office, said she had purchased tables at fund-raisers and given them to other charities to auction.
An apology was read to the court today by Jeremy Ruskin, QC, for Nine, on behalf of GTV9 boss, Jeffrey Browne.
It said: ‘‘On The Footy Show on 1 May 2008 it was not our intention to impute that you were a liar. If that impression was given it is withdrawn and Channel Nine sincerely apologises to you if you suffered any hurt or distress.
‘‘Likewise it was not our intention to demean your valuable contribution as a board member of the Western Bulldogs. If this impression was given it is withdrawn and Channel Nine sincerely apologises to you if you suffered any hurt or distress.’’
Source: The Age
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13 Responses
Sam Newman is the best entertainer in this country at the moment, lets hope he can last another 5 years as he’s looking more fragile as the days go by.
@TheUglyBaby … Are you Sam Newman using a pseudonym?
Because when they’re not breaking down in tears they are filing frivolous lawsuits.
@TheUglyBaby … Why? Because they don’t take crap from fools? I think people are missing the point . They are being blinded by the settlement sum which is barely relevant. It’s about respect and accountability.
Another reason why women will never be respected in the corporate world.
An “if” apology is not an apology, it’s lip service. Nine shows its contempt again. Though to be fair, it’s the Nine lawyers not the Nine idiot “stars” this time.
Then again we all know they aren’t sorry so who cares, it’s the money that sends the message.
@Craig(Buzz) “people are too sensitive”. Really? If people announce on television that you did or said something which isn’t true then why shouldn’t they be made to take it back and apologise? The football goons that spout rubbish for the sake of a cheap laugh should in fact be more sensitive.
Is our justice system slowly turning into that of the United States?
$220,000 cash for that. What kind of sick joke is this?
Another sign of the times,people to sensitive
We always read about cost cutting at 9 yet Sam Newman remains there on a reported $1 million a year. I can never figure that out seeing he’s only on a show once a week in half of Australia. Now he’s costing them even more.
This is another show that needs to pull the pin, Or get Eddie back…
sam lane would have been there holding her arm up high in victory. just to think she is the leader in the women movement in the afl
Overkill.