Fox News' operations reportedly turned 'green' amid the Stop the Steal movement, according to an agreement made by Rupert Murdoch, alongside additional disclosures.
In a significant turn of events, Fox News reached a settlement of $787.5 million in 2023 with Dominion Voting Systems, one of the largest libel payouts in U.S. history. The lawsuit, which arose from allegations that Dominion rigged the 2020 presidential election, acknowledged Fox News's role in broadcasting false claims.
According to Dominion's filings, Rupert Murdoch, the billionaire chair of Fox Corporation, regretted not being stronger in denouncing the election fraud claims. The lawsuit's discovery phase revealed that Murdoch and other executives were aware that the claims were false but allowed them to be promoted on the network.
Murdoch's post-election stance has been portrayed as a significant shift, given his historical pattern of promoting and then abandoning political figures. Some view his distancing from former President Trump as a rare instance of opposing the former president. This contrasts with the network's earlier role in propagating the "Big Lie" about election fraud, which was central to Dominion's defamation claims.
The settlement and related legal actions have brought scrutiny to Fox News's financial dealings and the influence of compensation on network commentators' coverage of the election and related issues. This includes public debate about transparency and potential conflicts of interest in media reporting post-2020 election.
Fox News, however, maintains that Dominion's summary judgment motion is unsupported by defamation law that prevents journalists from covering political allegations. The network remains the U.S.'s most-watched cable news channel, with shows like Tucker Carlson Tonight and Hannity attracting 3.38 million and 2.57 million average viewers each night, respectively.
The ongoing lawsuit between Dominion Voting Systems and Fox News is over allegations of promoting the "stop the steal" campaign. Emails and texts between Fox News executives and hosts, revealed in Dominion's summary judgment motion, show skepticism towards those spreading election lies. Notably, Rupert Murdoch himself expressed that Trump's "stop the steal" claims were "bullshit and damaging."
Dominion has also sued other entities over allegations of pushing election denier claims, but none have received as much attention as the suit against Fox News. The ongoing lawsuit is not just about generating headlines, according to Fox News's statement, but about withstanding legal and factual scrutiny.
It's important to note that Murdoch, known for his close ties to the political right, pays particular attention to Fox News above most of his other brands. His media empire, News Corp, owns various media outlets, including tabloids like The Sun and The Times, Dow Jones & Company, and Fox Corporation.
In a recent update, a quote previously attributed to Rupert Murdoch, saying "It is not red or blue. It's green," was found to have been said by Dominion lawyers, with Murdoch agreeing to the assertion according to Dominion filings.
The legal battle between Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems continues to unfold, shedding light on the complex relationship between media, politics, and truth in the modern era.
- In the future, Fox News is likely to face ongoing scrutiny due to its financial dealings and the influence of compensation on network commentators.
- The settlement between Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems marked one of the largest libel payouts in U.S. history, resulting from claims that Fox News broadcasted false election fraud claims.
- The ongoing lawsuit between Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems is not just about generating headlines but about withstanding legal and factual scrutiny.
- Fox News remains the most-watched cable news channel, with shows like Tucker Carlson Tonight and Hannity attracting millions of viewers each night, despite the ongoing legal issues.
- Dominion has sued other entities over promoting election denier claims, but the suit against Fox News has received the most attention.
- According to Dominion's filings, Rupert Murdoch, the billionaire chair of Fox Corporation, expressed regret for not denouncing the election fraud claims more strongly.
- In the modern era, the complex relationship between media, politics, and truth is under the microscope, as seen in the legal battle between Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems.
- The legal actions have brought public debate about transparency and potential conflicts of interest in media reporting post-2020 election.
- Some individuals see Murdoch's distancing from former President Trump as a rare instance where he opposes the former president, in contrast to the network's earlier role in propagating the "Big Lie" about election fraud.
- Murdoch's media empire, News Corp, owns various media outlets, including tabloids like The Sun and The Times, Dow Jones & Company, and Fox Corporation, amongst others, with Fox News receiving particular attention from Murdoch.
