David Bauder

October 14, 2004 | Law.com

A Fox News producer has sued leading personality Bill O'Reilly for harassment, alleging her boss had phone sex with her against her wishes three times. Andrea Mackris, a former White House intern in the first Bush administration, said a clearly excited O'Reilly suggested in a phone conversation that she buy a vibrator. Fox has countersued, calling the complaint a politically motivated extortion attempt.

By David Bauder

4 minute read

October 15, 2004 | Law.com

A day after a highly publicized sexual harassment suit was filed against Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, employment lawyers are questioning his decision to charge his accuser and her lawyer with extortion. "I think this is a crazy legal strategy," said one attorney. "But I think they made the decision that the press strategy is more important here."

By David Bauder

3 minute read

May 30, 2001 | Law.com

A "Survivor" contestant's testimony that executive producer Mark Burnett suggested voting a player off the island has raised questions about how real television's most popular "reality" show is. Burnett denies the accusation. CBS released copies Friday of a deposition given by Dirk Been in the lawsuit filed by Stacey Stillman, a loser in the first "Survivor" game last summer.

By David Bauder

4 minute read

September 26, 2006 | Law.com

Anybody who believes controversial cable news host Nancy Grace was chastened by the suicide of a young mother following their tough television encounter does not know Nancy Grace. The prime-time prosecutor continues to focus nearly full time on Melinda Duckett, piling up evidence to point to the Florida woman's guilt in the disappearance of her 2-year-old son, Trenton. During the show, Grace aggressively grilled the woman about her whereabouts the day the boy disappeared. A day later Duckett shot herself.

By David Bauder

6 minute read

November 27, 2001 | Law.com

One more day, and Court TV can stop sweating the Osama bin Laden hunt. The network's documentary imagining a trial for the man thought to be the mastermind of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is being rushed to TV on Thursday, rescheduled from Dec. 6. The Taliban's retreat in Afghanistan, and the prospect that bin Laden might be dead before the program could be telecast, had producers working night and day to get it done.

By David Bauder

3 minute read

July 06, 2001 | Law.com

Ever since Tina Wesson won the second million-dollar jackpot in May, "Survivor" seems to have lost the immunity idol. A nagging sense that all is not how it seems on the hit reality show has followed the news that "Survivor" producer Mark Burnett staged some scenes, and worse -- according to a lawsuit brought by former contestant Stacey Stillman -- may have tried to influence the first game's outcome.

By David Bauder

5 minute read