Yeah I’m inclined to agree. The “press” gets a double dose, frustratingly. Protected speech, but also freedom of the press, where they can publish fighting words or make up news about fires if they want. If we look at groups like OAN they can just blanketly make up whatever lies they find convenient while avoiding any criminal penalties. Nothing stops the National Enquirer from just writing about any alien abduction they feel like, regardless of factuality.
So far civil lawsuits asking for compensation for harm done have been the only thing that even slowed them down, like the Dominion defamation suits, or the Sandy Hook families suing Alex Jones. I don’t think tort law is enough though, not even close. Especially since it waits until after the harm is already done.