...moot?? Why do you say that? Severe punishment would be in order. If they got away with it, we're inviting more brazen behavior.
Their positions of priveledge are illegitimate in principle and should be eliminated.You would bog down in "he said, she said;" I'm talking "capital punishment" of broadcast journalism whether or not they did it on purpose.
So in comparison to the pricipled action we should take in any case, I hold that question to be moot.