Fox News Defamation Trial Start Delayed By Judge

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor How much should it cost to end media scrutiny on the internal workings of a news organization? Fox Corp. thinks an outlay of $787.5 million ought to be sufficient. In a letter filed Wednesday with the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, an attorney for Fox Corp. sought to keep redactions intact in documents supporting the case, and pressed a judge to keep media organizations from being able to examine the evidence further. “Fox agreed to settle this case to buy peace and bring an end to the media spectacle that the case had become,” says Katherine L. Mowery, an attorney representing Fox Corp. in its bid to quell further releases pertaining to its recent defamation settlement agreement with ballot-technology firm Dominion Voting Corp.

surprise firing of the channel’s controversial opinion host Tucker Carlson.“Conservative media and the conservative movement are very effective. They’re rich, effective, successful, thriving enterprises,” Maddow said during her show as she addressed what Carlson’s shocking departure means for conservative media.

Ellise Shafer Brian Kilmeade took over Fox News’ 8 p.m. hour on Monday night following news of Tucker Carlson’s exit from the network. The “Fox & Friends” anchor briefly addressed Carlson’s departure at the top of the program, which was renamed “Fox News Tonight” instead of “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” “As you probably have heard, Fox News and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways,” Kilmeade said. “I wish Tucker the best. I’m great friends with Tucker and always will be. But right now, it’s time for ‘Fox News Tonight,’ so let’s get started.” In a surprise move, Fox News announced on Monday morning that its most-watched primetime host would leave the network. “Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways,” the company said in a statement. “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.” 

settling with Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit for $787.5 million.Following his abrupt exit, the Los Angeles Times reported that Fox Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch made the decision to terminate Carlson and that it was related to a discrimination lawsuit filed by former Fox News producer Abby Grossberg, which accused the “Tucker Carlson Tonight” anchor and his staff of making sexist and antisemitic jokes.

Brian Kilmeade will host Fox News Tonight on Monday and is expected to address the exit of Tucker Carlson from the network.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Sean Hannity was blindsided by Fox News’ announcement that Tucker Carlson is parting ways with the network. Carlson was Fox News’ most-watched primetime host with his 8 p.m. ET news hour “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” which Hannity then followed in the 9 p.m. hour with his own eponymous series. Carlson’s show launched in November 2016, while “Hannity” has been a Fox News flagship series since 2009. “It’s very hard,” Hannity said at the start of his radio show, “The Sean Hannity Show,” regarding Carlson’s Fox News departure (via The Wrap). “My phone has been blowing up all day. The hard part for me is I don’t have a clue… I have no idea. Was it Tucker’s decision? Was it Fox’s? Was it a mutual agreement that they had? I don’t know.”

Zack Sharf Digital News Director “The View” hosts rejoiced during the April 24 episode of the ABC talk show as it was announced during the taping that Tucker Carlson was leaving Fox News. The audience cheered when “The View” moderator Whoopi Goldberg broke the news on air, saying, “Word has just come down that Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways.” “Can I ask the audience if they’ll help me do something?” Ana Navarro said as she threw her hands in the air and started singing Steam’s 1969 hit “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.” “Come on folks! Na na na na. Na na na na. Hey, hey, hey. Goodbye! Sayonara,” Navarro said, leading “The View” audience in a sing-along to celebrate Carlson’s departure.

stunning announcement that Tucker Carlson had parted ways with Fox News, more details are emerging about the primetime host's sudden departure. In a statement issued by Fox News on Monday, Carlson and the network «agreed to part ways» after 14 years. «We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor,» read the network's statement in part.

Dan Bongino is departing Fox News, as the conservative host announced that his program last weekend was his last.

Fox has admitted telling lies, the company CEO John Poulos says in press conference.Fox Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch had been scheduled to be among the first witnesses in the trial, which legal analysts said was tilted heavily against the media company.

Fox News has settled Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against the Rupert Murdoch-owned organization, averting a lengthy, expensive and certain to be embarrassing trial.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Fox Corporation and Dominion Voting Systems agreed to settle a much-discussed $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit mere hours after a jury had been seated to consider the matter in Delaware’s Superior Court. Attorneys for the two sides had been set to deliver opening statements to the jury. But that activity was delayed Tuesday after Judge Eric M. Davis called for a lunch break. “The parties have resolved their case,” the judge said. The legal case had already generated intense scrutiny, with documents, emails and texts from senior Fox executives and well-known Fox News anchors and hosts all suggesting many people at the company knew they were disseminating conspiracy theories around the 2020 presidential election and Dominion Voting’s role in it.

A jury has been seated in the Dominion vs. Fox News trial, kicking off at last what is being billed as the “defamation trial of the century,” with the prospect of the network’s star hosts and Rupert Murdoch himself taking the stand.

After a one-day delay and amidst whispers of settlement talks, Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation trial against Fox News is set to begin Tuesday in Wilmington, DE.

Dominion Voting Systems is dropping claims of “lost profit damages” from its defamation case against Fox News, but maintains that its $1.6 billion claim stands, and that any change is just a matter of legal semantics.For a completely different spin on that, we head over to Fox News – which says the subtle change means Dominion has “finally admitted” that its initial damages claim was inflated, and that the shift amounts to a reduction in its ask by “more than half a billion dollars.”But the Denver-based company on Monday told TheWrap that it is still seeking $1.6 billion for what it says are defamatory statements by the conservative cable network after the 2020 presidential election: “The damages claim remains,” Dominion told TheWrap. “As Fox well knows, our damages exceed $1.6B.”Fox initially reported the adjustment in a Sunday court filing seeking clarity on an evidentiary matter, saying Dominion communicated that it had taken “more than a half a billion dollars” off its damages claim.

The start of the Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation trail against Fox News that was to start Monday has now been delayed until Tuesday.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor The greatest show Fox News may ever put on is about to start. Imagine a Fox News program that utilizes the talents of the no-nonsense news anchor Bret Baier along with those of the opinion host Tucker Carlson. One that also puts anchor “The Five” mainstays Dana Perino and Jeanine Pirro into the mix, along with business anchor and commentator Maria Bartiromo. One that features possible appearances by Fox News executives like Suzanne Scott, the CEO of the operation, and Jay Wallace, its top news executive. A program that tops it all off with a potential cameo by Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, two of the controlling shareholders of Fox News’ media-conglomerate parent, Fox Corporation.

Jury selection started on Thursday in Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News, as both sides appear to be headed for a trial next week.