their own admission they took social media gossip that THEY KNEW when they went on air they had no evidence to support it, and then aired it.

There would be more support for your defense of them if they did what McCombs did and they actually called people on it, telling them to pony up or shut up, and told people without evidence they were just damaging a kid's reputation.

Did they do that? Did they condemn damaging gossip and tell people to shut up unless they had actual evidence?

Or did they do as the part I read suggests? Did they air what they knew was unsubstantiated and damaging gossip, admitted they knew of no evidence to support it, said it sure would be damaging if true, and then ended the subject?

Because without telling people to put up or shut up, all they did is spread it.