On the Beck loses out in the UK thing...

[acroyear]

One thing that complicates the situation a bit is British Libel Law, which is *very* pro-plaintiff the way the courts have historically interpreted and ruled on it.  If Beck, in his rantings, actually said something negative (in his "I don't have any proof, of course" manner) against a British citizen (or even an American one who has a political or business reputation in America, including and especially right-wing target Hillary Clinton), that person could not only sue Beck and the channel that carried him - they could also sue the advertisers that paid for it as being complicit in it.  Such lawsuits have <i>already taken place</i>, especially against the tabloids.  Though the advertisers do usually get out of their part of it, it is expensive to do so.

The advertisers simply don't see the risk in that expense for someone who has a minority audience in their country (by contrast to the large following he has here in the States).  He's not worth it.

Note: many of the same companies that dropped him in the UK continue to pay for his show here in America.

But really, the UK does not have the first amendment freedoms we have.