Final answer:
Certain persons, such as those expressing opinions or public officials, will not be held liable for defamatory statements. Two exceptions to defamation are the privileges of the media and public officials.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under the law of defamation, there are certain persons who will not be held liable for defamatory statements. These persons include individuals who make statements of opinion rather than presenting them as facts, such as columnists and editors.
Additionally, public figures must meet a higher standard to prove defamation, referred to as "actual malice." This means they must show that the statement was made with knowledge of its falsity or with reckless disregard for the truth.
Two exceptions to defamation are the privileges of the media and public officials. The media have certain protections when reporting opinions or statements made by public figures, as long as it is not done with actual malice.
Public officials, on the other hand, must demonstrate that not only was the negative statement about them false, but it was also made with malicious intent or reckless disregard for the truth.