AI Snips
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How Media Emphasis Shapes Panic
- The 60 Minutes Alar story used scary visuals and emphasis to create a national panic despite incomplete evidence.
- Media emphasis can transform tentative scientific debate into sweeping public perception of danger.
Libel Law vs. Overall Impression
- Libel law treats overall impression differently from sentence-level claims, which complicates suits about media narratives.
- The apple growers lost because courts required proof of specific false statements, not just a harmful impression.
The Rise Of 'Veggie Libel' Laws
- After the Alar case, agricultural lobbies pushed special state laws lowering libel protections for food industries.
- These 'veggie libel' laws removed the actual malice standard and shifted burdens onto journalists.