Fake news, conspiracy theories and other millionaire lawsuits: other problems for the Fox network

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The ultra-conservative chain Fox had to pay the historic sum of 787 million dollars for spreading false information about the 2020 elections in the United States but, despite the huge outlay, the problems for the broadcaster are not over yet: there are still pending lawsuits who seek accountability for right-wing figures who spread lies about Donald Trump’s lost election.

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After more than two years of legal wrangling, Fox reached a settlement Tuesday with Dominion Voting Systems, accepting the largest payout for libel in the public domain by an American media company in history.

It did so to avoid going to trial in the lawsuit brought by the voting machine company, which allegedly exposed how the chain promoted lies about the 2020 presidential election in which Joe Biden won, while Trump denounced a fraud that was found not to exist.

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The settlement came moments before the opening trial discussions began, abruptly ending a case that had embarrassed Fox News for months and raised the possibility that network founder Rupert Murdoch and well-known anchors like Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity testify.

Despite the hundreds of millions of dollars that Fox will have to pay, the chain will avoid suffering an even more brutal punishment: While the full terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, CNN, Axios and the newspaper did The New York Times reported that the pact does not contain a clause requiring the network to apologize on-air for making false claims about Dominion.

Fox News reproduced Donald Trump's theories about alleged fraud in the 2020 election. Photo: REUTERS

Fox News reproduced Donald Trump’s theories about alleged fraud in the 2020 election. Photo: REUTERS

Such a statement would have forced America’s most powerful media organization to look its millions of viewers in the eye and tell them it lied about allegedly stealing the 2020 election, an idea millions of Republicans still believe in.

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But the settlement isn’t the end of Fox News’ legal headaches. While the right-wing network will avoid having to apologize or issue an on-air retraction about the fake news it has been spreading, Fox is still facing another big lawsuit. for defamation stemming from many of the same lies that were at the heart of the Dominion case.

Smartmatic, another voting technology company, is suing Fox for defamation after the 2020 election and is seeking $2.7 billion in damages from Fox and other defendants. That lawsuit was filed in New York state courts and a trial is not expected anytime soon.

A manifesto against the Fox network, after the judicial hearing that ordered a fine of 878 million dollars for spreading false news.  Photo: AFP

A manifesto against the Fox network, after the judicial hearing that ordered a fine of 878 million dollars for spreading false news. Photo: AFP

“The Dominion litigation has exposed some of the misconduct and damage caused by Fox’s disinformation campaign,” Smartmatic attorney Erik Connolly said in a statement following the settlement.

“Smartmatic will expose the rest. Smartmatic remains committed to clearing its name, recovering significant damages done to the company, and holding Fox accountable for undermining democracy,” he added.

The Dominion offensive won’t be stopped even by paying Fox, which still has several lawsuits pending against right-wing TV networks Newsmax and OAN, which have gone even further than Fox News in promoting conspiracy theories about alleged voter fraud.

The voting tech company also has lawsuits pending against Trump allies Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Mike Lindell, who have been the main spreaders of the lie that the election was stolen from the then Republican president.

All of these people and companies deny any wrongdoing and are fighting in court.

Dominion’s attorney Justin Nelson told CNN that Fox News’ settlement “sends a message to the seven other lawsuits that accountability is coming.”

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Source: Clarin

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