OLD Media Moves

Portfolio writer plans libel lawsuit

March 12, 2007

Kurt Eichenwald, the former New York Times investigative business reporter who now works at Conde Nast’s soon-to-be-launched Portfolio magazine, is planning a libel lawsuit against another journalist, reports Janet Whitman of the New York Post.

Kurt EichenwaldWhitman wrote, “Eichenwald said the reporter, Debbie Nathan, falsely accused him on Wednesday in a New York magazine article of bidding $2,000 for the teen, and also defamed him in an earlier Salon.com essay by claiming he trolled child porn sites.

“Eichenwald did send Justin Berry, then a teenage star in a network of child-porn sites, a check for $2,000 – a fact that the New York Times acknowledged in an embarrassing editor’s note on Tuesday, more than a year after the paper ran the article featuring the teen.

“Eichenwald, a former Times investigative reporter who is now at the soon-to-launch Portfolio magazine, said he and his wife sent the check to try to locate the boy and rescue him.

“Later, when he realized Berry would be a source, Eichenwald said he made sure he got the money back.”

Read more here. Nathan declined comment.

Subscribe to TBN

Receive updates about new stories in the industry daily or weekly.

Subscribe to TBN

Receive updates about new stories in the industry.