Media Accountability

I don't think that I would go so far as to say that the American media is falsifying stories. I would say that there are instances where journalists rely on bad information. They don't put the work into researching to see if their sources are correct. All they see is a blockbuster story that they want to get out as soon as possible. I also think there may be some journalists that leave out details that can create a false impression of what is really going on. I think someone said something below about sensationalism. I also think this is a problem. Often on the news there are stories that aren't really news. Rehashing old stories is not usually news and just because someone is holding a press conference doesn't mean what they are saying is true. So I guess you might be able to call that falsifying in a way.
Licensing should not be out of the question. It would add a greater amount of accountability. On one hand, it could greatly improve the media because journalists would be forced to make sure that their stories are true. If they not they could risk losing their license. On the other hand, it might make some journalists afraid to go all out or break stories. Although, I guess if there is any doubt it shouldn't be broken anyways.