Is there anything you can do if a newspaper unfairly represents you?

A friend of mine got trashed by a reporter in a local newspaper. The article wasn't blatant lies, but it put a very negative spin on things. He's a good guy and the article was really negative. I think the reporter did it just to make a name for herself and to get publicity from her article. Personally I think she's a selfish b**** who doesn't care who she hurts. The guy has a family and small kids and now he'll probably have a tough time finding a job because of that article. Can he do anything to fight this? Or are reporters just free to hurt whomever they want with no consequences?