abc news

Paul McCarthy

ABC News Settles ‘Pink Slime’ Defamation Case With Beef Company

Well, that was quick: Just a few weeks after Beef Products Inc. and ABC News squared off in the opening arguments of the trial over the broadcaster’s use of the phrase “pink slime” to describe an ingredient in some ground beef, the two sides have agreed to put the whole thing to rest. [More]

Pink Slime Plant Reopens Because High Beef Prices Mean There’s A Need For Cheaper Ingredients

Pink Slime Plant Reopens Because High Beef Prices Mean There’s A Need For Cheaper Ingredients

More than two years after Beef Products Inc. announced it would permanently close three of its four “pink slime” processing plants, the company is reversing course and reopening a Kansas plant. [More]

ABC Asks Judge To Toss Out Beef Company’s “Pink Slime” Defamation Lawsuit

ABC Asks Judge To Toss Out Beef Company’s “Pink Slime” Defamation Lawsuit

Thinking about the actual texture and consistency of your common slime, one might come to the idea that the stuff would move along rather slowly. And that same sluggish image also comes to mind in the legal brouhaha over ABC News’ coverage of lean, finely textured beef, otherwise known as “pink slime.” It just keeps slorping along, with ABC now asking a judge to toss the whole suit out, more than a year after Beef Products Inc. first filed it. [More]

(me and the sysop)

Former Beef Worker Sues Chef Jamie Oliver, ABC News & Diane Sawyer Over “Pink Slime”

The beef industry isn’t about to forget about that whole “pink slime” thing, wherein ABC News and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver used the phrase to bring attention to a widely used product known as lean finely textured beef. Beef Products Inc. filed suit against ABC back in September, and now a former employee of the company is suing the news network, anchor Diane Sawyer, Oliver and others, claiming he lost his job because of  the pink slime controversy. [More]

FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz On Oreck's "Flu Reducing" Vacuum And Other Bad Ads

FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz On Oreck's "Flu Reducing" Vacuum And Other Bad Ads

The FTC is in charge of keeping an eye on spurious claims from TV product ads — so ABC News sat down with FTC Chairman and friend-of-the-blog Jon Leibowtiz to discuss what manufacturers are, and are not, allowed to claim in their ads, as well as the hurdles the FTC faces in enforcing truth-in-advertising rules. Case in point, Oreck recently settled with the FTC over a vacuum that claimed to prevent the flu. [More]

Check Us Out On 20/20's "Infomercial Nation" Special On May 20!

Check Us Out On 20/20's "Infomercial Nation" Special On May 20!

As we recently mentioned, Consumerist and Consumer Reports have teamed up with ABC News for an upcoming 20/20 special called “Infomercial Nation,” that will air next Friday, May 20. [More]

Toyota Pulling Ads Off Of ABC Due To 'Excessive Stories'

Toyota Pulling Ads Off Of ABC Due To 'Excessive Stories'

Angry about “excessive stories” ABC has aired about Toyota’s recall shenanigans, the company is pulling ad dollars from network affiliates in Southern states and shifting it toward competitors. [More]

Madoff Gives First Prison Interview To Victims' Lawyers

Madoff Gives First Prison Interview To Victims' Lawyers

Bernie Madoff has given his first prison interview…to attorneys representing his victims. Highlights: He’s quite candid now (what has he got to lose?), he can’t believe that he got away with running an epic Ponzi scheme for as long as he did, and apparently he’s been working out.