In one of the biggest defamation lawsuits in recent history, Fox News has agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems an incredible $787.5 million to settle the claim. Filed by the tech company Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News, this lawsuit was related to the false claims made by the network regarding the 2020 U.S. presidential elections. (CBS News)
According to the legal proceedings, Fox News had claimed that Dominion Voting Systems supplied faulty machines and even rigged the elections. This claim was rejected by Dominion, which pointed out that it had provided reliable voting machines, as verified by a number of independent sources. (The Washington Post)
The settlement was reached after a tense negotiation between Fox News and Dominion. The settlement amount will be paid by Fox Corp. and its cable networks, a sum that many observers have described as astronomical. The settlement means that Fox News has avoided a trial with Dominion, which could have resulted in even heavier damages. (CNBC)
The lawsuit settlement is also significant because it marks a reversal in the tactics that Fox News has been employing in its coverage of the elections. It was widely believed that Fox News had pursued a strategy to cater to its conservative audience by alleging election fraud and irregularities. But in this lawsuit, the network has admitted that some of its statements were false. (The Independent)
It should be noted that Dominion has filed several other lawsuits in connection with the false claims of election rigging. These lawsuits include other media outlets such as Newsmax and One America News Network. The lawsuits have been filed to protect Dominion’s reputation, which it says has suffered greatly as a result of the false accusations. (NPR)
All in all, this lawsuit and settlement have brought an end to a very stressful and polarizing episode in American history. It remains to be seen what impact this will have on Fox News and its coverage of future elections, which undoubtedly will continue to be highly controversial. (The Atlantic)
