Source: California Courts (Judicial Council of California)
Date: 2010-01-28

Defendants are the publishers of Rolling Stone magazine. The
named plaintiffs in this class action lawsuit are •indie
rock• musicians whose band names are included with the names of
over 100 other bands in an editorial feature entitled •Indie
Rock Universe•

(the Feature) that appeared in the November 15, 2007 issue of
Rolling Stone . . . 
The opposite page, on the magazine‘s left-hand side, contains
a full-page advertisement for Camel cigarettes. . . .

In closing, we appreciate that the placement of the Feature
within the gatefold layout may have caused plaintiffs some
distress, insofar as their bands‘ names appeared in such close
proximity to R.J. Reynold‘s expressions of corporate
sponsorship for independent music. Doubtless, Dustin Hoffman
experienced similar distress upon seeing

the image that was the subject of his lawsuit against Los
Angeles magazine. Because plaintiffs have not demonstrated that
defendants acted with actual malice, however, constitutional
principles of freedom of speech and the press require this
lawsuit be dismissed.