patrick.net

I like the "Equal Time and Space for Correction." rule.

For example, Colbert would have to give the same time - and at the same place in the show - to declaring Smollette a hate crime hoaxer, as he did during the initial reporting.

The WaPo would have to give the same space and position (web and print) to the Covington Student's innocence as it did when it blamed them. If they ran 2 front page stories on 2 consecutive days, then they must run 2 front page retractions on 2 consecutive days.

There should be a special, speedy Federal Online Court that awards no money, but can demand media outlets retract and publish the "Equal Time" retraction. This would only apply to publishers, not open forums. This would be apart from the libel suit so victims could get fast corrections to lazy, cognitive dissonance ridden, or malicious "reporting".

This would be civil, not criminal, and not offense to free speech anymore than ordinary libel would be.

"Under the imminent lawless action test, speech is not protected by the First Amendment if the speaker intends to incite a violation of the law that is both imminent and likely."

Yeah, right.

I don’t like it.

I do like really heavy civil punitive damages in cases where there are factually provable lies and where the reporting agency acted with negligence or maliciousness. Like bankrupting level penalties.

There’s zero doubt the main stream media is corrupt. CNN and MSNBC are strictly propaganda outlets at this point.

But the government forcing this matter seems over aggressive.

I don't like it either. Whichever side will be in power will enforce their views on media.