Fox News is getting sued out of its red little brains. I had in mind the billion-dollar litigation by the voting technology company Smartmatic defamation lawsuit against them, which has escalated to $2.7 billion. As you may have heard, this lawsuit stems from Fox News’ coverage of the 2020 presidential election. Smartmatic argues that news reports were full of inaccurate statements about the financial integrity of its voting machines. Recent revelations from internal communications, including text messages and emails among key Fox News figures, provide insight into the network’s operations and its response to the election fallout.
In a trove of other documents from the lawsuit, Rupert Murdoch himself staunchly defended the network’s coverage. He is executive chairman of Fox Corp, the media company that controls Fox News. He was especially proud to point to the exclusive reporting by both Fox News and Fox Business. He underscored their diligent work to push former President Donald Trump to concede the election. Murdoch stated that “we have never supported Trump personally but enthusiastically endorsed many of his and the administration’s policies which delivered such a healthy and prosperous country.”
Key Figures and Internal Disputes
The settlement’s internal communications expose Fox News personalities’ mixed feelings about covering the 2020 election fairly. Sean Hannity, a leading host at Fox News, expressed skepticism about Trump’s behavior in a message on November 6, 2020, stating that “the POTUS will not be crazy in spite of what people say.” He personally denounced Carlson for challenging Trump attorney Sidney Powell on-air for her baseless election fraud accusations.
“Classic oreilly move. May be too clever by half. Trump people are pissed.” – Sean Hannity
Carlson then turned to Fox’s chief political anchor Bret Baier for advice. In that, he required assistance with the firestorm against the network following its Arizona call confirming Biden. He called on the network to double down on an assertive approach to its reporting. He noted the underlying need to not distance yourself from doing honest work and reporting.
Tucker Carlson’s message on November 9 reflects his concern regarding Trump’s reaction to losing the election:
“But please think about it and talk it through with others and see if there’s any way I can help calm viewers down. When Trump loses, he’s going to blame us. That’s going to be very bad.” – Tucker Carlson
As a result, this internal discord is indicative of a larger struggle within the network. They’re navigating viewer expectations while still trying to maintain journalistic integrity in a highly polarized political environment.
Boardroom Discussions and Financial Implications
The tragedy did not stop there as the fight quickly escalated beyond just on-air talent. Board members Anne Dias and Paul Ryan expressed sentiments that condemned Fox News’ coverage of the election, especially concerning misinformation from the network. Dias remarked in a message to Ryan that “Trump needs a scapegoat and it’s now Fox,” indicating concerns about the network’s reputation amidst growing criticism.
Money was a big driver too, particularly with Maria Bartiromo. By most reports, not only is she a millionaire — she made more than $70 million while at Fox News, according to her deposition related to that case. This fiscal landscape provides a new context to the ongoing discussion over the network’s priorities and the transparency of its decision-making.
Tucker Carlson’s apprehensions about the network’s future were evident when he expressed concerns about its potential decline, stating:
“I’ve got four years left on my deal and I don’t [want] the channel to decline.” – Tucker Carlson
The Road Ahead for Fox News
This legal fight is ongoing. We’ll leave it to the pundits to speculate on how these smoking-gun reveals will ultimately impact Fox News’ decorum and ratings. The lawsuit’s tens of thousands of pages of exhibits uncovers backstabbing and cutthroat animosity among the players in this network. They further undercut its public image by revealing the outside pressure it’s under from its public and perpetual litigation.
Rupert Murdoch certainly sounded a lot more confident than Fox News’ editorial leadership throughout these trials. In fact, he claimed, they are “absolutely in complete control of this stuff.” Even with this confidence, critics and internal strife point to the notion that operating in this stormy climate will need to be done with deft hand.