In light of this recent article demonstrating Fox News’ consistent lies, usually (but not always) perpetuated by their “contributors”, I’ve decided to re-post an article on the issue. I originally posted the article in two years ago.
This is a re-post of an original article from March 31, 2010.
___________________________________________
Why does Fox News lie so much with impunity? Why are they able to get away with the things they say? Why does EVERYONE on Fox news tout the usually distorted or outright false, talking point of the day with no guilt or shame?
In short:
People frequently refer to a court case that Fox won, which essentially gave the media the right to lie. This came from an appellate court decision that states that the FCC’s news distortion policy does not qualify as a rule, law, or regulation.
Wikepedia:
Jane Akre and her husband Steve Wilson are former employees of Fox owned-and-operated station WTVT in Tampa, Florida. In 1997, they were fired from the station after refusing to knowingly include false information in their report concerning the Monsanto Company’s production of RBGH, a drug designed to make cows produce more milk. They successfully sued under Florida’s whistle blower law and were awarded a US $425,000 settlement by jury decision. However, Fox appealed to an appellate court and won, after the court declared that the FCC policy against falsification that Fox violated was just a policy and not a “law, rule, or regulation”, and so the whistle blower law did not apply.
The court agreed with WTVT’s (Fox) argument “that the FCC’s policy against the intentional falsification of the news — which the FCC has called its “news distortion policy” — does not qualify as the required “law, rule, or regulation” under section 448.102.[...] Because the FCC’s news distortion policy is not a “law, rule, or regulation” under section 448.102, Akre has failed to state a claim under the whistle-blower’s statute.”[1]
Related articles
- Whistle-blower justice Jose Sabio, 71 (newsinfo.inquirer.net)
- FCC Acts To Quash Cell Phone Bill Shock (fastcompany.com)
- Monsanto & Cancer Milk: FOX NEWS KILLS STORY & FIRES Reporters. – YouTube (jhaines6.wordpress.com)
Reblogged this on A View From The Middle (Class) and commented:
Amazing things to consider here. It’s no wonder America’s major media outlets are so screwed up.