ACTIONS AGAINST BROADCASTING STATIONS FOR DEFAMATORY STATEMENTS

MCL ch. 484, subtit. Act 221 of 1951

in effect

MCL 484.331 Actions for damages against owners, operators or licensees of radio broadcasting stations for defamatory statements.

484.331. Actions for damages against owners, operators or licensees of radio broadcasting stations for defamatory statements. Sec. 1. The owner, licensee or operator of a visual or sound radio broadcasting station or network of stations, and the agents or employees of any such owner, licensee or operator, shall not be liable for any damages for any defamatory statement published or uttered in or as a part of a visual or sound radio broadcast, by one other than such owner, licensee or operator, or agent or employee thereof, unless it shall be alleged and proved by the complaining party that such owner, licensee, operator or such agent or employee has failed to exercise due care to prevent the publication or utterance of such statement in such broadcast. 1951, Act 221, Eff. Sept. 28, 1951

MCL 484.332 Defamatory statement by or on behalf of candidate for public office; liability.

484.332. Defamatory statement by or on behalf of candidate for public office; liability. Sec. 2. The owner, licensee or operator, or the agents or employees of any such owner, licensee or operator of such a station or network of stations, shall not be liable for any damages for any defamatory statement uttered over the facilities of such station or network by or on behalf of any candidate for public office where such statement is not subject to censorship or control by reason of any federal statute or any ruling or order of the federal communications commission made pursuant thereto. 1951, Act 221, Eff. Sept. 28, 1951

Source: Michigan Legislature (legislature.mi.gov)URL: https://legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/Chapter%20484.xmlFetched: 10/20/2026