You should welcome the opportunity for clarity, you left out important facts and came to an erroneous punch line.

The only requirement to adjust your language going forward would occur if you are found guilty of the libel/slander charge. It’s not guaranteed you will, especially when there’s substantial evidence. So no it’s not de facto legally required by print and media organizations. They do so to minimize legal entanglement either way. Additionally your overall perspective isn’t even globally applicable as libel and slander laws vary greatly depending on country.