Reply #29: No. Not in this case.

[Clark2008]

The newspaper has nothing it has to prove.

Feeney could sue Curtis for libel or slander, but not the newspaper.

Let me see if I can make this clear as mud:

The newspaper is merely reporting what was said in a public forum. Because the forum was public, everyone in the entire nation - provided there were enough seats available - could have attended this event. Therefore, everyone in the entire nation could have heard what Curtis said, thus taking responsibility away from the newspaper.

Now, Feeney could sue Curtis for MAKING the statements, but he cannot sue the newspaper for REPORTING the statements since everyone there heard them, too.

Get it?

In other words, the newspaper is protected because it wasn't the only "ear" to hear Curtis's statement. The forum belonged to the public.