Jackson v. Paramount Pictures Corp.
Opinion
Opinion
Curry, J.
Appellant Michael Jackson brought suit against respondents Paramount Pictures Corporation, Diane Dimond, and Stephen Doran, alleging that he had been slandered by reports broadcast on the television program Hard Copy and in a radio interview with Dimond. During these broadcasts, the search for and purported existence of a videotape showing appellant inappropriately touching an underage boy in a sexual manner were discussed. The trial court granted summary judgment to respondents based on the truth of the statements made in the broadcasts and the lack of evidence of malice. After review of the record and the evidence in support of and in opposition to the summary judgment motion, we affirm the trial court’s ruling.
Factual and Procedural Background
The KABC-AM Radio Broadcast
Two over-the-air reports dealt with the alleged videotape. The first occurred on January 9, 1995, on the The Ken and Barkley Show broadcast by KABC-AM radio. Respondent Diane Dimond appeared as a guest on the program. To keep the statements made in their proper context, we repeat the entire text of the interview as it related to appellant rather than rely on excerpts: