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4715 In actions by public persons, defamation liability is imposed on media defendants only for calculated falsehoods, and not for failure to achieve objectivity; a journalist who makes a fair report of statements and events occurring in a judicial proceeding is absolutely privileged and is not required to provide explanation of the facts reported; a statement that plaintiff "slashed" workers' wages and benefits is constitutionally acceptable literary license rather than a provably false assertion of fact, and therefore cannot lead to defamation liability.CitationPATERNO v SUPERIOR COURT (Defamation by Omission) 163 CA4 1342 [See: CCP 425.16; CivC 47; Sipple v Foundation 71 CA4 226, T/AT 5/99; Krinsky v Doe 6 159 CA4 1154,P/AT 3/08]
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