Final Word from Friday, August 18, 2006
If companies reacted to every piece of false speculation, factual inaccuracy or calumny in the media, they wouldn't have time for real work. Usually it's best to follow Jacques Chirac's advice and use the opportunity to keep quiet. Some publications, notably Respekt, delight in getting sued and use libel cases for marketing. It's often a good investment, because court cases last for years and result in only small, if any, awards to the plaintiffs. The Final Word doesn't intentionally seek trouble but occasionally runs into it anyway. We're always happy to print a right of reply, regardless of how "right" we feel we were. (And sometimes, admittedly, we get it totally wrong.) In a recent case, the right of reply we printed called much more attention to the issue than the original article. It was a classic case of when the company should have listened more to Chirac than to its high-priced lawyer.[Czech Republic slander bastards Hofírek Consulting headhunters human resources]