Fox acknowledges false claims and avoids trial by settling Dominion lawsuit for $787.5 million

Fox has settled its defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems and admitted to lying about the voting machine company.

The lawsuit was settled for USD$787.5 million (AUD$1.17 billion), and Dominion's CEO John Poulos called the settlement "historic" in a report by Reuters.

The settlement was reached at the 11th hour with a 12-person jury already selected in the Delaware city of Wilmington on Tuesday morning, with the case ready to begin opening statements on Tuesday afternoon.

Poulos said: "Fox has admitted to telling lies about Dominion that caused enormous damage to my company, our employees and our customers. Nothing can ever make up for that.

"Throughout this process, we have sought accountability and believe the evidence brought to light through this case underscores the consequences of spreading and endorsing lies."

The central matter of the lawsuit was if Fox aired false claims that Dominion's ballot-counting machines were used to manipulate the 2020 US election in favour of Democrat Joe Biden over Republican incumbent Donald Trump.

Dominion argued that these on-air claims caused the company "enormous and irreparable economic harm".

The Denver-based voting company was seeking more than $US1.6 billion ($2 billion) in damages from Fox with Delaware Superior Court judge Eric Davis presiding over the case.
 
Judge Davis had ordered a one-day trial postponement on Monday before the delay on Tuesday, as the two sides settled on the deal.

Fox was also unable to invoke free speech protections under the US Constitution in its defence. The deal spares Fox from having some of its famous figures - from executives such as Fox Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch and Fox CEO Suzanne Scott, to on-air hosts Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro - called to the witness box, subjected to intense questioning and putting one of the world's top media companies through a high-profile trial.

Meanwhile Fox News Media released its own statement about reaching its settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.

The network said in a statement: "We are pleased to have reached a settlement of our dispute with Dominion Voting Systems. We acknowledge the Court’s rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false. This settlement reflects Fox’s continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards.
 
"We are hopeful that our decision to resolve this dispute with Dominion amicably, instead of the acrimony of a divisive trial, allows the country to move forward from these issues."

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Top image: Rupert Murdoch and son Lachlan Murdoch