[discostu]

That seems to be a misreading of the judgement to me. We know from successful slander suits that indeed it is illegal for the media to lie. What this suit seems to be proving, in my reading anyway, is that talking heads are paid to say what's put in front of them and if they won't say it they can be fired. The talking head should let the network lawyers worry about whether what's being said is legal, it's just their job to say it and it's perfectly OK to terminate them for refusing to do their job.

[Henrietta]

"We know from successful slander suits that indeed it is illegal for the media to lie."

No, media is liable for defamation if it defames someone. It's not just lying that is actionable; it's lying about a particular person in a way calculated to lower the esteem of that person in the community at large. Lying is not actionable per se.