A New Jersey Superior Court judge has ruled in favor of Townsquare Media talk host and former Garden State gubernatorial candidate Bill Spadea, dismissing a defamation lawsuit brought against him by child psychologist Steven Tobias over on-air comments in 2021.
The court’s summary judgment, issued on October 31, ends nearly three years of litigation originally slated to go to trial on October 20. Tobias, Director of the Morristown-based Center for Child and Family Development, filed suit against Spadea and Townsquare Media in September 2022.
Morris County Judge Jennifer McAndrew Vuotto found that Spadea did not engage in defamation when he said Tobias “should be indicted for child abuse” during his New Jersey 101.5 (WKXW) morning show. The court determined that Spadea’s remarks were expressions of opinion and protected under the First Amendment, concluding that a listener of “ordinary intelligence” would not interpret the statements as factual.
The case stemmed from comments Tobias made during two Town Hall appearances in 2021, where he advocated for children wearing face masks to reduce COVID-19 transmission. Spadea responded on-air by calling Tobias a “child abuser” and “crackpot,” prompting the legal action.
Tobias alleged that Spadea’s comments damaged his professional reputation and that Townsquare allowed the segment to air as a ratings driver.
