In another thread OG mentions the sad story of how two Fox reporters were fired for refusing to lie and then denied both compensation and protection under whistleblower-laws. I get it, speech should be free, and perhaps it's not whistleblowing when it's about despicable legal acts. But I don't like the notion of a news provider being allowed to use public airwaves to spread lies in the guise of truth any more than I like Creationists using public schools to do the same.

Can we think of any reasonable way to discourage newsmongers from deliberately lying? A way that doesn't automatically and instantaneously turn the entire western world into Russia or Italy? Can we at least find ways to protect those who refuse to lie?