Editor, Solicitors Journal

Anchors strike back

4 Sept 2015News

Despite evidence to the contrary, it is not always easy being a news anchor.

Sky News's Kay Burley recently suffered the wrath of the Twittersphere and an online petition calling for her sacking after an 'awful' interview with the Alton Towers CEO, Nick Varney.

Then there is NBC's Brian Williams, who was criticised after telling a false story about an expedition to Iraq.

Meanwhile, Fox News's Harris Faulkner is suing US toy company Hasbro for £3.3m over its production of a toy hamster she says resembles her appearance and shares her name.

Faulkner's case, which has been filed at a district court in New Jersey, said the toy company had 'wilfully and wrongfully appropriated Faulkner's unique and valuable name and distinctive persona for its own financial gain'.

In addition, lawyers for Faulkner, who has been a Fox News anchor for ten years, said she had never given Hasbro permission to use her name or likeness, and that the 'portrayal of her as a rodent is demeaning and insulting'.

While the protection of a celebrity's image in the US can be big business for lawyers, UK practitioners have no law to lean on that explicitly protects image or publicity rights.

So, until the government decides to take an interest in this issue, solicitors will have to become creative in dealing with such cases.

Legal News desk contact: editorial@solicitorsjournal.com

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