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Colorado newspaper threatens to sue over “fake news” accusation

NPR has a story about the dispute between the Daily Sentinel in Grand Junction, CO and a state senator who accused the paper of publishing “fake news.”  Evidently, the paper is consider suing for defamation (but has not yet filed suit).

A news outlet publishes a story that a Republican politician dismisses as “fake news.” Sounds familiar, right?

But in this case, there’s a twist. The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel in Colorado is accusing state Sen. Ray Scott of defamation and threatening to sue. If filed, legal experts said it would be the first suit of its kind, potentially setting a legal definition for what is considered fake news and what is not.

There are many reasons such an action may not be a satisfying endeavor for the paper, but it is an interesting concept because, in essence, the accusation has the effect of undermining the legitimacy of the paper’s product (which would arguably have a deleterious effect on its business).

Read the NPR.org article here.

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