November 22, 2009
UTNE READER

Florida Court: Broadcasters Have Right to Lie

March 10, 2003
Staff Organic Consumers Association 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

A Florida appeals court has overturned a jury verdict against FOX Television for attempting to force two reporters to falsify and distort a 1996 report on the effects of bovine growth hormone (BGH). According to a statement from the Organic Consumers Association, the husband-wife investigative team of Jane Akre and Steve Wilson had spent nearly a year battling with station officials at WTVT in Tampa, Florida, over the content of their BGH report. The award-winning reporters were eventually fired ?without cause? when they refused to make certain changes that would have clearly distorted the report. They filed suit in 1998 under the Federal Communications Act and the Florida whistle-blower protection law. While Wilson lost his case, a jury awarded Akre $425,000 in 2001 for wrongful termination. The appeals court overturned that verdict on a legal technicality, accepting FOX?s argument (which had previously been rejected six times by three different judges) that the FCC?s news distortion policy was not a ?law, rule, or regulation,? and that Akre therefore did not have a proper claim to whistle-blower protection. Akre and Wilson won the 2002 Goldman Environmental Prize for their efforts to bring their story to light. While the court did not dispute the facts of the case, FOX claims it was ?totally vindicated? by the verdict.
-Leif Utne

RELATED CONTENT

Go there>>http://organicconsumers.org/rbgh/akre022103.cfm

Related Links:

Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

We’d like to know what you think. To comment, please use this form. E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments. First time registrants: You will receive an email confirming your email address. Once you confirm, your comment will be posted. Questions about our comments policy? Click here.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Utne Reader?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save $6!
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Want to gain a fresh perspective? Read stories that matter? Feel optimistic about the future? It's all here! Utne Reader offers provocative writing from diverse perspectives, insightful analysis of art and media, down-to-earth news and in-depth coverage of eye-opening issues that affect your life.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $6 and get 6 issues of Utne Reader for only $29.95 (USA only).

Or Bill Me Later and pay just $36 for 6 issues of Utne Reader!