The judge presiding over the $1.6 billion defamation case brought against Fox News by Dominion has announced that a settlement has been reached, ending the prolonged legal dispute over misinformation surrounding the 2020 election. The case began two years ago and was initiated after revelations about the practices of Rupert Murdoch’s network came to light. Fox will pay $787.5 million.
The resolution was reached just as the lawyers for both sides were preparing to present their arguments to the jury, with microphones already attached to their lapels. This means that prominent figures from Fox News, including Rupert Murdoch and hosts Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, and Maria Bartiromo, will not have to testify, despite some expressing private concerns about the accuracy of claims made on the network.
This outcome marks an unexpected twist in a case that was expected to be a significant challenge for a media organization. The trial had been seen as an important test case for the First Amendment, raising questions about the ability of defamation law to protect victims of disinformation campaigns.
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