Fox just won't quit with the dirty tricks... (my words)

[Joinfortmill]

https://joycevance.substack.com/p/slander-and-lies?utm_source=substack&utm_medium

Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance

'...Fox has conceded what it knew all along. The charges Fox broadcast against Dominion are false...that concession is no small thing. Thirty percent or more of Americans still believe the lie that the 2020 election was stolen... Dominion employees still endure threats and harassment. So it matters that Fox in private ridiculed—and never believed—the lie. And it matters that Fox has now in this litigation conceded these allegations were false.”

But there is an undeniable larger context: the corruption of the American electorate and the spread of the vile, knowing lie that came perilously close to undoing American democracy...Fox, as Dominion goes on to point out, could be remedying this situation. It could be reporting on the lawsuit. It could be correcting the lies. It is not...Why not? According to his deposition, Fox’s owner, Rupert Murdoch, inexplicably believes it is “too late” to retract the lies Fox told its viewers, and he continues to refuse to apologize...Dominion characterizes it this way in its brief: “Fox continues to say it is ‘proud’ of its election coverage, sending the unmistakable message that Fox stands by the lies.”

'So what is Fox looking for here? Its position suggests some sort of broader immunity for Fox than defamation law would provide for other defendants. Some sort of immunity for “newsworthy allegations” that would give it a license to spread lies. As Dominion puts it, “Fox is trying to conflate telling the truth with knowingly spreading a lie.” It is perhaps ironic that at a time when Justice Thomas, and possibly Justice Gorsuch, have suggested that the actual malice standard articulated in New York Times v. Sullivan makes it too difficult for public-figure plaintiffs in defamation cases to recover damages, Fox wants the courts to steer the other direction, towards making it easier for defendants to prevail.'

Read on (my words).

[halfulglas]

1. To paraphrase what I heard on MSNBC yesterday (or Tuesday) Fox isn't that worried

About the monetary damages, if they can keep their audience they can recoup that easily. But Dominion is holding out for the part where Fox has to admit ON AIR and on every show that they lied about Dominion, lied about the election. This is what Dominion wants to save their reputation and their business, and Murdoch is unwilling to do this.