SUMMARY: Jane Pauley thought she
was doing a legitimate interview with the New York Times, however, when it
actually ran in an advertising supplement she filed suit.
Jane Pauley Sues 'NY Times' Over
Advertorial Interview
By Editor & Publisher staff
Published: October 25, 2006
NEW YORK---Jane Pauley, the former host of NBC's Today show and Dateline, has
filed a lawsuit against the New York Times, claiming the newspaper
"duped" her into giving an interview for an article that turned out to be an
advertising supplement for a drug company.
The suit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court, says Pauley believed she was
giving an interview about mental health issues for a story in the newspaper, but
her words (as well as a large photograph) ran instead in a "special advertising
supplement" in October 2005 promoting psychoactive drugs from Eli Lilly and
other pharmaceutical companies.
Catherine Mathis, a spokesperson for the Times, said that the paper does
not believe Pauley's case has merit. "Ms. Pauley's assistant was told that the
article for which Ms. Pauley was to be interviewed would appear in a special
advertising supplement and Ms. Pauley agreed to participate," said Mathis.
Pauley, who admitted publically in September 2004 to having battled with bipolar
disorder, is seeking unspecificed damages from the newspaper, as well as from
DeWitt Publishing, which helped produce the advertising section.
A call to the New York Times seeking comment has not yet been returned.
