Lawsuit! Meat packer blames ABC’s ‘pink slime’ coverage for nearly killing company – IOTW Report

Lawsuit! Meat packer blames ABC’s ‘pink slime’ coverage for nearly killing company

Tuesday, 6 June 2017, 11:45 BFH Uncategorized 8

OAN:

ELK POINT, S.D./CHICAGO (Reuters) – ABC News’ characterization of a South Dakota meat processor’s ground-beef product as “pink slime” almost put Beef Products Inc out of business, BPI’s lawyer said on Monday in the opening salvo of a closely watched trial.

The $5.7 billion lawsuit pitting big agriculture against big media is the first major court challenge against a media company since accusations of “fake news” by U.S. President Donald Trump and his supporters have become part of the American vernacular.

The trial is expected to run eight weeks.

BPI claims ABC, a unit of Walt Disney Co, and its reporter Jim Avila defamed the company by using the term “pink slime” and making errors and omissions in its 2012 reporting.

But ABC lawyer Dane Butswinkas said “pink slime” was a common term, used more than 3,800 times in the media prior to ABC’s reports.

In the aftermath of ABC’s broadcasts, BPI closed three of its four processing plants and said its revenue dropped 80 percent to $130 million.

“That success took about 30 years to succeed and it took ABC less than 30 days to severely damage the company,” a lawyer for BPI, Dan Webb, said in court.

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8 Comments on Lawsuit! Meat packer blames ABC’s ‘pink slime’ coverage for nearly killing company

  1. I seem to recall McDonalds went through a similar attack in regards to “pink Slime” and fought it and won. I just don’t recall whether it was the media or an internet meme. I do hope that the company wins the full award from the jury. Then even if ABC appeals they have to put up the value of the award in a bond to keep the trial process going (feel free to correct me on that). If finally forced to pay it will cripple Disney and probably see them sell off ABC and their other TV holdings.

  2. I’ve often wondered if these “news people”buy options on the commodities they are going to slander knowing their phony reports will effect a particular market.

  8. What bothers me now, is that the waste cuts are healthy and protein laden. The fats also.

    I imagine much of what is in the “slime” are the grisly and cartilage parts which when cooked down produce the thick gelatin so desired now by those of us who simmer bones for 24-36 hours for stock.

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