Spoken words can damage reputations as surely as printed ones. Slander is a false spoken statement that harms another person’s reputation. It is the oral form of defamation, distinguished from written libel.

Proving slander often requires showing that the words were spoken to a third party and caused actual damage, though some categories of statement are considered harmful on their face. Truth remains a central defense. Broadcast statements are sometimes treated under libel rules because of their wide distribution and permanent recording.

Journalists who work in radio, television, and live digital formats must be as careful with spoken allegations as their print colleagues are with written ones. Script review and delay systems for live programs reduce the risk of impulsive defamatory remarks.

• Spoken false statement harming reputation
• Oral counterpart to libel
• Requires publication to a third party and usually proof of harm
• Relevant to broadcast and live reporting