Tampa Radio: Media Protests Hulk Hogan Privacy Request

Hulk Hogan

UPDATE 1PM 7/1:  Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan, has settled his lawsuit over a sex tape against Heather Cole, the former wife of radio shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem.
The former pro-wrestler had said the tape was made without his knowledge. Portions of the video of Hogan and Cole were posted on the online gossip site Gawker in 2012.

The New York media outlet is now Bollea's sole adversary in the $100 million lawsuit.

Earlier Posting...

Media organizations have countered a move by Hulk Hogan to block the press from viewing a sex tape and other evidence at the center of his $100 million invasion of privacy lawsuit against Gawker Media.

Recode.net reports a coalition of newsrooms including First Look Media, BuzzFeed, CNN, AP, Vox Media and an ABC broadcast affiliate owned by Scripps Media has asked a judge to deny Hogan’s request to keep the public out of the courtroom, according to a brief filed Tuesday. (Gawker Media has separately filed a motion against the partial closure of the courtroom.)

The media companies are arguing that the trial, which takes place in Pinellas County, Fla., goes beyond the specific (some would say salacious) details of the case and any move to keep the press out of the courtroom will have much broader First Amendment implications.

“The public is entitled to know what takes place in the courts of the state of Florida, and the First Amendment right … to report what happens in the courtroom to its readers … transcends this case alone,” the motion read.

As to the case itself, the suit could put Gawker Media out of business and, more importantly, put a chill on the press’ ability (and willingness) to report on public figures.

The trial, set to begin July 6, gets under way nearly three years after Gawker published a video tape showing Hogan (real name: Terry Gene Bollea) and the then-wife of radio personality Bubba The Love Sponge’s having sex. While the video has been expunged from the site, Bollea has sued Gawker for $100 million for invasion of privacy.