Guest guest Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 > r > Wed, 15 Sep 2004 00:56:10 -0400 > Appellate Court Rules Media Can Legally Lie, Leave it to Fla! > Appellate Court Rules Media Can Legally Lie > Address:http://www.rense.com/general35/MEDIA.HTM > > By Mike Gaddy > SierraTimes.com > 3-1-3 > 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. > > On August 18, 2000, a six-person jury was unanimous > in its conclusion > that Akre was indeed fired for threatening to report > the station's > pressure to broadcast what jurors decided was " a > false, distorted, or > slanted " story about the widespread use of growth > hormone in dairy cows. > The court did not dispute the heart of Akre's claim, > that Fox pressured > her to broadcast a false story to protect the > broadcaster from having to > defend the truth in court, as well as suffer the ire > of irate > advertisers. > > Fox argued from the first, and failed on three > separate occasions, in > front of three different judges, to have the case > tossed out on the > grounds there is no hard, fast, and written rule > against deliberate > distortion of the news. 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. > > In its six-page written decision, the Court of > Appeals held that the > Federal Communications Commission position against > news distortion is > only a " policy, " not a promulgated law, rule, or > regulation. > > Fox aired a report after the ruling saying it was > " totally vindicated " > by the verdict. > > © 2003 SierraTimes.com > http://www.sierratimes.com/03/02/28/arpubmg022803.htm > Disclaimer > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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