MBA News

Al Gibes: The Online Guy wrote in Las Vegas Review-Journal Searching for truth in Web's law blogs

"Bloggers are passionate, excited and often work alone. They have no institutional structure and nobody to guide them," said Robert Cox, founder of the Media Bloggers Association

Jeff Bercovici wrote in Media Blog at Condé Nast Portfolio.Com Oprah Headmistress to Drop Suit Against Huffpo

But at Columbia J-School's Consumer Revolution on the Web conference today, Robert Cox, president of the Media Bloggers Association, revealed that Mzamane has tentatively agreed to withdraw her claims against the Huffington Post and Stewart.* Cox's group assists bloggers in defending themselves against lawsuits, among other things.

Sean O'Sullivan wrote in The News Journal UD student sues over online gossip

Robert Cox of the Media Bloggers Association -- a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy group for "the grass-roots media movement" -- said that although the site is not named as a defendant, the suit is likely to cost juicycampus.com, as it is almost certain to fight any subpoenas for information because the anonymous posting of gossip is the operators' business. Cox said someone may be using this lawsuit as a "back-door way" to shut down the site by driving up the cost of operating it.

Douglas S. Malan wrote in Connecticut Law Tribune Bloggers Beginning To Covet Coverage

The evolution of journalism has opened the door for bloggers to become a more significant part of the mainstream press by breaking news stories and providing commentary. With that increased power comes a greater threat of legal action from people who are targets of criticism.

In response, the Media Bloggers Association, a non-profit group based in New Rochelle, N.Y., that promotes “citizen journalism,” recently announced a program that will provide bloggers insurance against threats of libel lawsuits, copyright claims, invasion of privacy accusations and other potential land mines.

Robret Cox wrote in NY Daily News Bloggers must learn a new world order to win fans, respect

Given their nature, blogs are particularly susceptible to litigation because they are inherently risky as publishing operations. There is typically very little operational control, the content is often deliberately designed to be provocative and it is immediately widely distributed and searchable.

Business Wire reported Media Bloggers Association Launches Education, Legal Advisory and Liability Insurance Program for Bloggers

The Media Bloggers Association ("MBA") announced today that it has launched a comprehensive program to provide bloggers access to the same sort of legal and financial resources long available to traditional media organizations including BlogInsure, a first of its kind liability insurance program for bloggers which provides coverage for all forms of defamation, invasion of privacy and copyright infringement or similar allegations arising out of blogging activities.

Laura Oliver wrote in Online Journalism News Media Bloggers Association creates blogger insurance scheme

US organisation the Media Bloggers Association (MBA) has launched a scheme to give bloggers the same access to legal support as traditional media organisations.

The initiative includes BlogInsure, a form of liability insurance for bloggers, which will cover parties against defamation claims, allegations of copyright infringement and invasion of privacy 'arising out of blogging activities', MBA said in an announcement.

The insurance package is available through Media/Professional Insurance and will cover cost and damages incurred from such claims.

Ann Cooper wrote in Reclaim the Media Not who's a journalist, but what is journalism

Bloggers, says Robert Cox, an online writer and president of the Media Bloggers Association, “are going to be intentionally provocative. They rely on hyperbole, sometimes.” Cox says that several hundred lawsuits have been filed against bloggers, most charging defamation, copyright violation, or invasion of privacy.

Mainstream journalists can avoid such charges by turning to editors or in-house lawyers for advice; company insurance also provides protection if they’re sued. In the blogosphere, editors are few and far between, insurance is costly, and legal help is usually limited to consulting a nonprofit resource—like Cox’s group, or the Citizen Media Law Project at Harvard University. “There are some simple things bloggers can do” without compromising their passionate voices, says Cox, “but they don’t know to do them.” Something as basic, for example, as using the disclaimer “alleged” when writing about a person accused but not convicted of a crime. “The more professional you are, the better your standards, the more defensible your position,” says Cox.

But that advice, like the online law course Cox’s group plans to offer to help bloggers get insurance, isn’t always well received in the fiercely independent blogosphere. “There’s an extreme sensitivity to anyone trying to tell some other blogger what to do,” Cox acknowledges.

Chuck Stokes wrote in WXYZ.com The South, Blogging & Wal-Mart Moms

One of them is Robert Cox, co-founder and president of the Media Bloggers Association. Cox, of course, became famous when he challenged the reporting of popular New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd. Many believe that battle opened up the blogging world to “citizen journalists” like never before. Today, Cox urges bloggers to have a basic understanding of media law. Without it, he says, blogging can be a “risky business.” He’s absolutely right!

Michael Hemmingson wrote in San Diego Reader You Blog, You’re Out

Robert Cox, founder and president of Media Bloggers Association, told USA Today in 2006 that he encourages all bloggers, whether at home, work, or the political arena, to fight back and protect the right of free speech against any action that is taken to “merely silence critics.”