http://www.projectcensored.org/publications/2005/11.html
or http://snurl.com/8wep
Summary: Fox News instructed a couple of their reporters to lie in a
story about health risks from Bovine Growth Hormone. The reporters
refused, and Fox News fired them. The reporters attempted to sue as
whistleblowers.
Fox's defense is that they have a First Amendment right to lie, and
so weren't doing anything wrong that would let the reporters qualify
as whistleblowers.
It raises more than one interesting issue. First, and most
superficially, is Fox's tacit admission to a policy of distorting
the news. That such a policy exists isn't news to IPers, but the
public admission is interesting.
Secondly, there are the rather more complex merits of the wrongful
dismissal case. Is lying part of a reporter's job? Apparently it
is at Fox News. I'd be interested to see these reporters' official
job descriptions. Are reporters joining Fox News told that they'll
be expected to lie?
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