Thread: RIM Slanderers Beware As Judge Rules Against Blogger Source Protection

You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk? This month a Judge ruled against a blogger in a libel case of $2.5 million in a defamation case tried in a federal court in Oregon. Crystal Cox, who calls herself an investigative blogger who is also a journalist, wrote repetitively about the bankruptcy case of Summit Accommodations. Kevin Padrick, an Oregon attorney with Obsidian Finance Group, was appointed trustee in charge of paying Summit creditors. Cox accused Padrick of committing tax fraud, among other things. Padrick sued Cox and won a unanimous jury verdict. According to published reports, there wasn't any evidence that Padrick did anything wrong. Cox tried to use the Shield Law, which allows journalists to protect confidential sources, but the Judge ruled Cox was not a journalist and so is not entitled to the protections. This case is of most interest in both the blogosphere and in the media, as it outlines the continued growth of blogging, the gray area between journalists and bloggers and more libel cases born out of blog posts.

So why am I writing about this defamation case today? And what does it have to do with BlackBerry? Well, first off, it's a most important story that affects the entire blogging community. Secondly, this ruling comes right before yet another recent unsourced rumor about BlackBerry maker, RIM (Research In Motion), started by tech-blog site, BGR (Boy Genius Report). Essentially, BGR has on numerous occasions posted articles such as, RIM discontinuing WiFi PlayBook (RIM response here), Open Letter From Disgruntled RIM Employee (RIM response here), more disgruntled RIM employee letters, and the most recent, BlackBerry 10 is a failure that won’t be able to compete, company source says (RIM response here). These are just the articles I know off the top of my head.

Now let's be fair here, I'm not saying that what BGR posted is false, I'm also not saying it's true. The facts are, the sources are never revealed, so it's a case of he said / she said. What reason does the reader have to believe such information? Without revealing credible sources, these stories are nothing more than nasty slanderous rumors chalked up for media attention. So at what point does RIM stop giving them that attention? In responding to sites like BGR, RIM is essentially is giving them credibility. And if BGR has that much power as a blog to receive a response from RIM on every negative article, should they be required to back it up by revealing their sources? I believe the most recent court ruling against Crystal Cox says, yes. Does this ruling put RIM in a position to take BGR to court? I believe so.

In closing, I must say I'm all for a juicy rumor, but if the rumor can cause damage to a company, it needs to be backed up with a verified source.

Source

And that my friend is one of the things I dislike about BGR. NEVER do they mention a source, never.
Here sources are mentioned or is credit given to a member for spotting a scoop. I like facts, give me facts not stories. Ill buy a book if I want stories.
All I wonder is how this reflects on to other companies who do give BGR info and such? Why would you willingly be involved with a site who clearly makes stuff up? I believe bloggers / websites have to much power. You can ruin poeple / companies with BS. Having said that, I think legal actions would be an idea, but again this would be attention towards BGR. And I don't think they deserve any attention. But they do need to be hushed :P

It's one thing to make up something, but it's another to make up something that can be damaging.

Originally Posted by Joe Jerde

It's one thing to make up something, but it's another to make up something that can be damaging.

For real....It's makes no sense whatsoever!

Geller the media whore all dressed up in his makeup slandering RIM... Banning the Blackberry After Hours - CNBC

Originally Posted by Joe Jerde

Geller the media whore all dressed up in his makeup slandering RIM... Banning the Blackberry After Hours - CNBC

Unbelievable... anyone have magic? disappear Geller?

Originally Posted by grimreaper

Unbelievable... anyone have magic? disappear Geller?

Would have to be a good magician for Geller.

Originally Posted by Joe Jerde

Geller the media whore all dressed up in his makeup slandering RIM... Banning the Blackberry After Hours - CNBC

I just threw up...
That last part when the reporter sais "so you where right" and his "it's one of my favourite comapnies" made my breakfast rise...

Something to point out in the video. Even the CNBC anchorman at the end says that a Journalist verified his story on the RIM delay of devices. For one, it wasn't like that was a secret, and two, why would Geller need a Journalist to back him up if he were a real Journalist? Because he is not, and therefore not protected under the Shield Law. RIM can sue at any time. And I wish they would to put a stop to these stupid unwarranted responses and get it over with.

Originally Posted by Joe Jerde

Something to point out in the video. Even the CNBC anchorman at the end says that a Journalist verified his story on the RIM delay of devices. For one, it wasn't like that was a secret, and two, why would Geller need a Journalist to back him up if he were a real Journalist? Because he is not, and therefore not protected under the Shield Law. RIM can sue at any time. And I wish they would to put a stop to these stupid unwarranted responses and get it over with.

The reporter / anchorman said he was right and that a newspaper (like you said) journalist confirmed his claim on the delay.
Point is still that that journalist only confirmed the delay of OS10 which we already knew.
Thing is, that BGR claims that the delays are caused by the fact that the native email client can't be used. This is the core of any Blackberry device. I hate it when reporters do half work...
This, to me, should be reason enough for RIM to make his life a living hell by sueing him.
Is it wrong for wanting to hit him?

Originally Posted by Poita316

The reporter / anchorman said he was right and that a newspaper (like you said) journalist confirmed his claim on the delay.
Point is still that that journalist only confirmed the delay of OS10 which we already knew.
Thing is, that BGR claims that the delays are caused by the fact that the native email client can't be used. This is the core of any Blackberry device. I hate it when reporters do half work...
This, to me, should be reason enough for RIM to make his life a living hell by sueing him.
Is it wrong for wanting to hit him?

Two words for you P.... Awesome post!!!

Originally posted by Joe Jerde.

It's one thing to make up something, but it's another to make up something that can be damaging.


Ask yourselves these two questions:

1. Why the concentrated effort to destroy RIM?

2. Who stands to gain most from the demise of RIM??

Hmm...as my grandmother used to say; "there's more in the mortar than the pestle!".

Originally Posted by DonMariano

Originally posted by Joe Jerde.

It's one thing to make up something, but it's another to make up something that can be damaging.


Ask yourselves these two questions:

1. Why the concentrated effort to destroy RIM?

2. Who stands to gain most from the demise of RIM??

Hmm...as my grandmother used to say; "there's more in the mortar than the pestle!".

Why RIM?
Since the merger of Nokia and Microsoft they are the smalest player out there.
Get the smal ones out of the way and take marketshare to beef up and take on the Big Boy's
Who has gains? All but RIM itself, Apple, Google, Nokia all benefit from losses from RIM.
Look at it as if it where the NFL playoffs (if you watch NFL) one team can loose without loosing a good spot and still compete. Here RIM can loose market and in due time for example Google can step in and fill the void.

Which is the way I see it too Poita, Google stands to gain the most from RIMs demise! RIM has lost market share to android and iOS in the US but it still has a large share of the global market; India, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina and South Africa, among others, are markets where RIM is still strong, and given the fact that some of those economies are actually growing RIM stands to do very well in 2012 once they get their act together and release fully baked, full feature BB10 OS devices. However if RIM collapses within the next two quarters, that market share is up for grabs for the other smartphone manufacturers that will move in to fill the void. Since android is the OS of choice for most manufactures and Google owns android, they stand to gain a large portion of that market share plus the share they already have. Result...Google controls the global smartphone market!