Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Verdict Announced in Campbell's Privacy Lawsuit

Aired March 27, 2002 - 06:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A verdict has just been announced in super model Naomi Campbell's privacy lawsuit. She's seeking damages against a tabloid newspaper for reporting that she was attending meetings of Narcotics Anonymous. Our Matthew Chance is live in London with the verdict -- good morning, again, Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. That's right, a verdict that could have an impact on the way the British media cover celebrities here in this country, at least. Super model Naomi Campbell, as you mentioned there, has been awarded 3,500 pounds --, about $5,000 in compensation and damages by the high court here in London -- after a story carried in the British tabloid newspaper "The Mirror" showed her leaving a drug rehabilitation center.

Ms. Campbell -- her lawyers for her, rather -- successfully argued the story was intrusive and an invasion of her privacy. "The Mirror" newspaper had previously argued that the article they wrote was newsworthy and in the public interest because it alleged Ms. Campbell had previously deceived the public by boasting to the media that she had avoided the pitfalls of drug-taking, where others in the modeling business had not, Carol.

COSTELLO: So a victory for Naomi Campbell, although $5,000 isn't so much for that British tabloid to fork over.

CHANCE: That's right. There's two sort of ways of reading this verdict. The one is that it is some kind of a slap on the wrist for the media, a punishment for them kind of overstepping the line into people's individual privacy rights. The other interpretation is that, of course, it is such a small sum of money that's been awarded in compensation that it really won't have much of an effect on a way celebrities are indeed covered in Britain.

So in short, a success on the day for Naomi Campbell. But celebrities should not think that their negative actions are going to be going unreported here in Britain, Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, no, I'm sure that won't stop. Thank you very much, Matthew Chance, reporting live from London this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com