A written defamatory statement is libel. Spoken defamatory statements are slander. Part of the problem with organizations publishing stories like this and call

A written defamatory statement is libel. Spoken defamatory statements are slander. Part of the problem with organizations publishing stories like this and calling it “news” is that there is a higher bar for proving defamation against a news origination; Where the defamatory comments are made by the media or where they are directed towards a public figure, the First Amendment requires that the defamed person must prove the offender published a defamatory statement with knowledge that the statement was false or with a reckless disregard of its falsity. [1] - https://rtdna.org/article/a_closer_look_at_defamation_in_the_social_media_era https://rtdna.org/article/a_closer_look_at_defamation_in_the...