An Illinois judge has thrown out a libel lawsuit filed by Amy Jacobson, a former reporter at NBC-owned WMAQ, against rival WBBM and its parent company, CBS.
Jacobson sued the station for $1 million in 2008 after WBBM aired a report that showed her at the house of Craig Stebic, a person of interest in his wife’s disappearance. The report showed Jacobson, who is now a radio talk show host in Chicago, at an “apparent pool party” at Stebic’s home, according to the Chicago Tribune. Stebic was never charged in his wife’s disappearance.
The Tribune has details on the ruling:
In a nine-page ruling filed Tuesday, Judge Jeffrey Lawrence stated that Jacobson failed to show that CBS fabricated unfavorable content about her. He also stated that critical comments and other material in the CBS piece were “constitutionally protected expressions of opinion,” or based on facts.
Jacobson’s attorney said they will appeal.