This looks like a good opportunity to blast the cable networks to ask why FoxNew's journalist standards are lower than CBS's:
Two ex-Foxnews journalist have filed a complaint to the FCC claiming that FoxNews should be investigated and their license should not be renewed because Fox News pressured them to broadcast "false and distorted news" and is not acting in the public interest and "lacks the good character to do so."
"The challenge stems from what the reporters say was a year-long experience inside the station, where they resisted Fox managers who repeatedly ordered them to distort a series of news reports about the secret use of an artificial hormone injected in dairy cattle throughout Florida and beyond." See Footnote 1.
The two journalists originally filed in civil court asking for Whistle Blower protection under Florida law when they were fired by Fox News. They prevailed at the trial level, but FoxNews appealed and the decision of the lower court was overturned:
"The <Appeal> Court held that Akre’s threat to report the station’s actions to the FCC did not deserve protection under Florida’s whistle blower statute, because Florida’s whistle blower law states that an employer must violate an adopted “law, rule, or regulation."
In a stunningly narrow interpretation of FCC rules, the Florida Appeals court claimed that the FCC policy against falsification of the news does not rise to the level of a "law, rule, or regulation," it was simply a "policy." Therefore, it is up to the station whether or not it wants to report honestly." <emphasis added> See Footnote 2.
E-mail blasting opportunity:
The implication of the appeal court's decison is what is the issue of this post. At the risk of over-simplying, they're stating that FoxNews has a First Amendment right to intentionally lie to the public. If that is the case, then the question is, why are FoxNew's media standards so much lower than CBS's? Why didn't FoxNews fire the station managers who were responsible for broadcasting false news to the public, the way that CBS fired their executive producer and others over the Dan Rather Memogate which involved, not a lie, but a memo that was not properly authenticated?
So what does everybody think about blasting the cable networks and asking them to explain the reason for the discrepency? Whoever has a handy list of e-mail addresses of the media who might actually follow through with our e-mail questions, please be kind to post them?
Footnote 1:
http://www.straightgoods.ca/ViewMediaFile5.cfm?REF=4Footnote 2:
http://www.projectcensored.org/publications/2005/11.html