ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — On Tuesday, Gawker founder Nick Denton took the stand in the Hulk Hogan sex tape trial to defend the decision to publish the video. At times, his testimony sounded like the script of an adult movie.
Denton read from a story he’s written about the sex tape that described the action in the video in graphic detail.
Denton once wrote for the London Financial Times, but his article on the Hogan sex tape seemed aimed at the “Fifty Shades of Grey” audience.
Terry Bollea is suing Gawker for publishing the sex video, but Denton told the jury again and again he feels he has the right to publish the video because Hogan, who’s real name is Bollea, is an internationally-known wrestler.
At one point, attorneys for Bollea hammered Denton for not caring what impact the publication of the video might have on Bollea.
“I think doing the job of a journalist would be unbearable if one was always to put oneself in the shoes of a subject,” said Denton.
Gawkers former COO also testified Tuesday.
Scott Kidder told the jury that only 30 percent of the people who read the article about the sex tape actually clicked on the video to view it.
Gawker maintains the publication of the video brought little revenue to the company.
Kidder called the views of the video and article “a spike” in the web sites normal traffic, but not an income maker for Gawker.
A witness for the Bollea team previously told the jury that the video added approximately $15 million in value to the company due to increased traffic on the web site.STORIES OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON-
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