Auvil v. CBS 60 Minutes
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
67 F.3d 816 (9th Cir. 1996)
Relevant factsFree
Grady and Lillie Auvil and other Washington apple growers (plaintiffs) sued CBS (defendant) after its 60 Minutes broadcast reported that Alar, a chemical sprayed on apples, caused cancer. Consumer demand for apples collapsed after the broadcast, costing the growers millions. The district court granted summary judgment for CBS on the growers' product-disparagement claim, and the growers appealed.
IssueFree
Whether a product-disparagement plaintiff must prove the falsity of a specific statement made by the defendant, rather than relying on the overall message conveyed.