This is a really well-written and fascinating article, but I think the author is stretching the term "gawker effect." In fact it probably should have a different terminology. On the one hand, journalist say they are frayed to publish something out of fear that a wealthy person will sue them. However, I think the real lesson from Gawker, was that publications finally excepted, or appreciated more, what is real news, and what is gossip. The Gawker Result is that journalism has gotten better, and is less prone to publishing gossip, or the happenings of someone's private life, and less it has actual news value.