When the postponement of the start of the trial was announced on Monday morning, it was clear that the Fox News lawyers were going all out. It was announced on Tuesday that an agreement had been reached with Dominion Voting Systems.
Best Storyline for Fox News
As the network has done many times in the past, it managed to get out of trouble and avoid the worst by pulling a tidy sum of money from its pockets. It is sad.
For Fox News to be able to present itself as a news channel is a disgrace and I wanted to see the full hypocrisy and lack of ethics of the network’s big stars exposed publicly. It’s not going to happen, at least not for this story.
I do not join the chorus of those who have been chanting since yesterday that the sum of 787 million is in itself a harsh sanction and an admission of wrongdoing.
This agreement disappoints me for three main reasons. First, the broadcaster doesn’t have to apologize on the air or ask its stars to do so. At best, it was recognized that the wrong thing had been said. No miserable return in front of the spectators, it goes on as before.
A trial would have uncovered all the “intricacies” of the operations, forcing the stars to appear and explain why they acknowledged among themselves that Trump’s allegations were nonsense, before saying otherwise once the mics were open. .
Second source of disappointment for me, the amount of the agreement. Do you find me unyielding? While that figure of $787 million is staggering, have you looked at Fox News’ earnings lately? For 2022 alone it will be around 14 billion. Dominion Voting Systems asked for 1.6 billion. I wouldn’t say we’re talking loose change, but…
Last reason for dissatisfaction? Dominion’s case seemed strong enough to me to win the case. As I pointed out in my writing Monday, a guilty verdict would have helped clarify the limits of the First Amendment and freedom of the press. So lying will continue to pay off.
It’s not over for Fox News
If Fox has just won an important fight, it would be wrong to open the champagne right away. Hampered by the revelations of the Dominion file, his lawyers will likely return to court fairly quickly.
At least two other files still need to be monitored. In the first, the company Smartmatic (voting machines) undertakes to take up the fight again and promises to complete the work.
There will also be this lawsuit from Abby Grossberg, who alleges network lawyers pressed her under oath in hopes of blaming her for the company’s excesses. Will we still pay? Is the price of lying high enough? Obviously not.
