Fox News has reached a $787m settlement with election technology company Dominion Voting Systems, which accused the network of defamation in its 2020 United States presidential election coverage.
Gatekeepers News reports that the conservative news network will avoid a high-profile trial.
Dominion filed its lawsuit in 2021, alleging that Fox News knowingly aired falsehoods about its voting machines in an attempt to boost lagging viewership.former President Donald Trump and his allies had claimed Dominion’s voting machines were used to rig the 2020 election, resulting in his loss to President Joe Biden.
The voting machine company initially sought $1.6bn from Fox for “intentionally and falsely blaming Dominion for President Trump’s loss”. Tuesday’s settlement is roughly half that amount.
Fox has maintained that it was only reporting on Trump’s allegations, not supporting them, and that its coverage was protected under constitutional free speech rights.
“The parties have resolved their case,” Judge Eric Davis told the Delaware Superior Court on Tuesday, informing the recently selected 12-member jury that it was free to go.
Dominion disclosed the settlement figure on Tuesday, and its CEO John Poulos said Fox had admitted to telling lies about his company.
Dominion lawyer Justin Nelson said the settlement “represents vindication and accountability” and that “lies have consequences”. Dominion lawyers declined to answer questions about whether Fox News would apologise publicly or make reforms.
In a statement, Fox said “we acknowledge” the court’s earlier ruling that certain claims that the network’s anchors made about Dominion were false.
“This settlement reflects Fox’s continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards. We are hopeful that our decision to resolve this dispute with Dominion amicably, instead of the acrimony of a divisive trial, allows the country to move forward from these issues,” the statement said.
The settlement means the network’s owner — conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch — as well as controversial personalities including Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity will avoid having to give highly anticipated testimony.
