Carver

Andrew L. Carver sued the Hearst Corporation, which publishes the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper, Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Ulysses Torassa (the corporation and the reporters are hereafter referred to collectively as the Newspaper), San Francisco Giant Barry Bonds, and former San Francisco 49er Roger Craig for defamation and interference with prospective economic advantage based on statements in a Chronicle article. Plaintiff appeals from the order granting defendants’ motions to strike under the anti-SLAPP law (strategic lawsuit against public participation) (Code Civ. Proc., § 425.16, hereafter section 425.16; Appeal No. A108129), and from the order awarding attorney’s fees to the Newspaper and Bonds (Appeal No. A108923). We affirm the orders.

I. BACKGROUND

The article in question was published on December 30, 2002, under the headings The Sport of Doctoring, and It’s Proving To Be Big Business To Let The Public Know You’re Treating Big-Time Athletes, and read as follows:

The article appeared in the Chronicle newspaper and on the Chronicle’s Web site. In December 2003, plaintiff demanded a retraction from the Chronicle of allegedly false and…