Proving damages wouldn’t be a problem. After all, the reporters were fired. A number of expert witnesses, some of them quite famous, helped out with this and other aspects of their case. Ralph Nader testified about a station’s responsibility to air items in the public interest. From the witness stand, revered anchorman Walter Cronkite characterized what Fox did as a “violation of every principle of good journalism.” It also helped tremendously that Fox had to admit that Wilson and Akre’s original report was accurate. But arguably one of the key moments of the trial came when Akre testified as to her reasons for pursuing the story so ardently, and refusing to falsify it.
As a mother, I know this is important information about a basic food I've been giving my child every day. As a journalist, I know it is a story that millions of Floridians have a right to know. We were fired for standing up for the truth. Solely as a matter of conscience, we will not aid and abet their effort to cover this up any longer. Every parent and every consumer has the right to know what they’re pouring on their children’s morning cereal.The verdict was a strange one. The jury found that Fox wrongfully terminated Akre, but not Wilson.* They then ordered Fox to pay her $425K in damages.
Not surprisingly, Fox refused to take its medicine lying down. The network appealed the decision, based on a judicial error that gave new meaning to the word ‘technicality.’
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*Some have suspected that the jury found Wilson’s demeanor “overbearing,” and just plain didn’t like him. Whatever the case, they found against him, but not Akre, despite the fact they were doing the same thing, and suffered the same consequences.
we've been using organic milk for almost 20 years.
ReplyDeletei've never believed the claims that the growth hormones were harmless.
a very conservative blogger i blog with
has this on a recent post:
monsanto
conrol the food source
control the people
they are manipulating and eliminating seeds which are open pollinated and not hybrids - the heirloom seeds.
As always Xdell --much thanks to you for your hard work on these stories/series!!
ReplyDeleteas awful as some of them are --thankfully there are wonderful online resources/sites such as yours to get to the truth of the matter --it is very hard not to become cynical sometimes--for every story out there that we KNOW something is "hinky" I often wonder how many are out there that we know nothing of?!!
after seeing your series here and foam's great comment --I am determined not to start buying non-organic milk again --prob wont drink at all if I cannot afford it at a particular time--right now I am using powderered "milk" until I can get to the store-- and kind of wondering what might be in that??--ugghh
the taste of organic milk to me anyway is far superior to 'reg' milk also --what a great quote from foam's blogger friend about Monsanto!!
all the best to you my friend -and great work-I always look forward so much to seeing your latest!!
Foam, I would agree that controling food and many other basic and personal aspects of life are mechanisms of control. Cults routinely manipulate diet of their charges to keep them subordinate.
ReplyDeleteI can't really drink as much milk as I'd like to, these days (lactose intolerance--I love it, but it doesn't love me). I'm not surprised, though, that some consumers are consciously making the decision to avoid products that seem iffy.
Devin, last year, at a friend's house, I sampled some non-homogenized, non-pasteurized organic milk. I understand what you mean.
Your other point is well taken. Things like this undermine the credibility that most people receive on a daily basis. Yet, Fox would argue, in its appeal of this case, that it had no legal responsibility to the truth.
At least this tale seems to have a relatively happy ending.
ReplyDeleteI always make sure my milk is a glowing fluorescent magenta. I get it from the cow that jumped over the moon and got exposed to cosmic radiation.
SJ, next time get it from the cow that jumped over the Van Allen Belt.
ReplyDelete