Saturday, June 27, 2009

Legal to lie

Fox News wins a legal right to lie:
On February 14, a Florida Appeals court ruled there is absolutely nothing illegal about lying, concealing or distorting information by a major press organization. The court reversed the $425,000 jury verdict in favor of journalist Jane Akre who charged she was pressured by Fox Television management and lawyers to air what she knew and documented to be false information. The ruling basically declares it is technically not against any law, rule, or regulation to deliberately lie or distort the news on a television broadcast. ...

The attorneys for Fox, owned by media baron Rupert Murdock, argued the First Amendment gives broadcasters the right to lie or deliberately distort news reports on the public airwaves.

3 comments:

  1. But when I yell "Fire!" in a theatre, I go to jail.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, unrestricted capitalism tends to do that.

    ReplyDelete

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