Salzano v. North Jersey Media Group Inc.

The law of defamation is rooted in the notion that individuals should be free to enjoy their reputations unimpaired by false and defamatory attacks. In some instances, however, publications that otherwise would be actionable may escape liability because we recognize that the publisher is acting in furtherance of a socially important interest that is entitled to protection, even at the expense of uncompensated harm to a plaintiffs reputation. That protection from liability is described as a privilege. One such privilege is accorded to the publication of defamatory matter concerning another in…