Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems have reached a settlement in the high-profile defamation lawsuit, bringing an end to the dispute over allegations that the network knowingly broadcast false claims about Dominion's involvement in a plot to steal the 2020 US presidential election. The $1.6 billion settlement comes after a jury was sworn in on Tuesday morning and following an unexpected delay to the start of opening statements.
Rupert Murdoch, the 92-year-old chief executive of Fox, was among those called to testify in the case, alongside top Fox talent such as Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Jeanine Pirro, and Maria Bartiromo. During discovery for the trial, Dominion unearthed internal communications from Fox showing that its hosts knew their claims regarding Dominion's role in election fraud were baseless but continued airing them.
"Dominion is pleased with this outcome as it allows us to focus on our core mission of providing secure voting systems," said John Poulos, CEO of Dominion Voting Systems. "We hope this serves as a reminder that baseless accusations can cause significant harm when presented without evidence."
Despite settling with Dominion out-of-court, Fox still faces several legal challenges related to its decision to broadcast false claims about election fraud. One shareholder seeks damages arguing executives breached their fiduciary duty by allowing these falsehoods onto company airwaves.
This historic defamation lawsuit against one of America's largest conservative networks highlights growing concerns over misinformation surrounding elections and media responsibility for fact-checking information before sharing it with millions of viewers.
"Today's settlement sends a clear message: Media organizations must be held accountable for spreading disinformation," said Lorraine Minnite Ph.D., Professor at Rutgers University-Camden Department of Political Science specializing in elections administration research.
As partisans on both sides continue debating voter integrity issues across America post-2020 elections – today’s decision will undoubtedly reverberate throughout the media landscape for years to come.