Iowa TV Show Owner Sues Competitor for Comments Posted to Blog

The Quad-City Times reports that the owner of a Spanish-language television show sued the producer of a recently launched competitor program for comments posted on an online blog.

According to the Times’s story online, Alan Rivera, Teresa Cordova (Rivera’s wife), and Tarsicio Macias initially planned to produce and broadcast a show together. They had an oral partnership from March through June of this year, and then the partnership fell through.

Rivera reportedly posted comments about the failed venture on his blog under the heading “When Your Idea is Stolen.” The entry included the name and logo of Macias’s television program, and Rivera called Macias “unscrupulous” and a “leech,” and claimed Macias “stole” the idea, name, and logo for the TV show from Rivera and his wife.

Macias responded to the offending blog post by suing Rivera in state court for libel, unfair competition, and trade name dilution. According to Iowa Courts Online, Macias filed his suit in Scott County on September 28, 2009.

Business Owner Slapped with $2 Million Libel Suit for Facebook and Twitter Posts

On October 2, 2009, a Knoxville, Tennessee news source reported that restaurant owner Travis Redmon faces a $2 million libel lawsuit because of comments he made on Facebook and Twitter.

The Low & Tritt marketing firm says Redmon defamed the company by saying things like, "Do not ever use Low & Tritt marketing firm!" He also called firm officials "crooks."

Greater circulation of defamatory statements means more damage to reputation. Publishing allegedly libelous statements to his 310 Twitter followers and 279 Facebook fans meant quick publication of the comments to a big crowd -- which increases any potential damages in this kind of case. Good lesson here: think before you post.

  Check out the story here.

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