CNN
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That’s it.
In a few days, the media libel trial of the century is about to begin in Wilmington, Delaware.
Jury selection in Dominion Voting Systems’ massive $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit got underway Thursday, with 300 potential jurors summoned. The trial is making good progress, with the presiding judge noting that there are “more than enough jurors” to start the trial as planned on Monday.
It is here, in Court 7E, that Murdoch’s media bigwigs, accompanied by a group of powerful lawyers, will attempt to mount a defense after repeatedly failing to persuade the judge to dismiss the historic case.
A version of this article first appeared in the Reliable Sources newsletter. Subscribe here for a daily digest documenting the changing media landscape.
Frankly, writing these words is amazing. When I watched Fox News broadcast election lies after the 2020 election, I never imagined that the network would be held accountable in a meaningful way.
I’ve been covering Fox News for a while. I have watched thousands of hours of right-wing channels. Over the years, I’ve watched its hosts undermine public health, make vulgar anti-immigrant rhetoric, peddle lies and propaganda, and push wild conspiracy theories once reserved for the furthest fringes of the right.
The network always seems to find a way to weather controversy, even the most dire storms it faces. Sometimes it becomes stronger and bolder than before.
But this time it’s different. This time, the usual tricks that networks resort to in times of crisis won’t stay out of trouble. This time, in court, the networks will need to make honest, fact-based arguments.
Fox News is about to enter a true no-spin zone, where deception is strictly prohibited. An irresponsible place. Executives like Rupert Murdoch and Suzanne Scott and hosts like Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity can’t simply ignored requests for comment and instead attacked “the media” on air.
In a situation where lies cannot be told freely and truth cannot transcend reality and be twisted to fit a dishonest narrative, it will be fascinating to see how the network performs. If the preliminary hearing is any indication, it won’t be pretty. Before the case even started, the presiding judge had lost patience with Foxx’s legal team and notified them.
The tide could turn for Fox News when a judge takes the case Monday. But if they proceed as they have in court over the past few weeks, Fox News will face a brutal test.
