Former Louisiana Anchor Sues Rival Station for Defamation Over Underage Sex Allegations Report

Bill Lunn, a 59-year-old Emmy-winning former news anchor from Louisiana's ABC affiliate KTBS, has filed a defamation lawsuit against rival anchor Dan Jovic, his co-anchor wife Jacquelyn Jovic, and KTAL's parent company Nexstar after a false report accused him of seeking sexual interactions with minors. The June 2024 KTAL report, based on claims from a vigilante group, portrayed Lunn as a child predator, though police investigations found no evidence of wrongdoing and no charges were filed. Lunn resigned before the report aired, hoping to clear his name, but the lawsuit asserts the story destroyed his career and was motivated by competition between the two stations. Evidence presented shows Lunn was communicating on Tinder, an adult-only dating app, with a woman who initially claimed to be 19 but whose age was later altered in messages to 16; upon meeting her, Lunn was violently robbed by accomplices. Lunn's suit accuses KTAL of failing to properly verify facts and engaging in character assassination, seeking damages for reputational harm. The case highlights the risks of misinformation in competitive local news markets and the serious consequences of unsubstantiated allegations.