CNN
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This is the moment.
The landmark media defamation trial is on the verge of commencing in Wilmington, Delaware, in only a few days.
Jury selection for Dominion Voting Systems’ colossal $1.6 billion defamation case occurred throughout Thursday, with 300 potential jurors called to the courthouse. Significant advancement was made, and the presiding judge remarked that there were “more than sufficient jurors” available to initiate the trial as planned on Monday.
Inside Courtroom 7E, the leading figures of Murdoch Media, along with a host of prominent attorneys, will endeavor to build their defense after consistently failing to persuade a judge to dismiss this now-infamous case.
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It’s, candidly, remarkable to express those sentiments. When I witnessed Fox News propagate election falsehoods following the 2020 election, I never anticipated the network facing accountability in a substantial manner.
I’ve reported on Fox News for some time. I’ve viewed countless hours of the conservative channel’s shows. I’ve observed its presenters over the years undermine public health, make outrageous anti-immigrant comments, disseminate falsehoods and propaganda, and promote wild conspiracy theories that were once confined to the right-wing’s most extreme elements.
The network has consistently managed to navigate through controversies, even during the most turbulent storms it has encountered. Occasionally, it has emerged even stronger and more emboldened than before.
However, this time is distinct. This time, the usual tactics the network resorts to in moments of crisis will not liberate it from peril. This time, in a judicial setting, the network must present an honest, evidence-based case.
Fox News is about to step into the genuine No Spin Zone, where falsehoods are absolutely forbidden. Where it does not hold sway. And where its top leaders such as Rupert Murdoch and Suzanne Scott, along with personalities like Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity, cannot simply bypass a request for commentary and instead lash out at “the media” during broadcasts.
In this environment, where falsehoods cannot be casually expressed and reality cannot be warped to fit a deceitful narrative, it will be intriguing to observe how the network performs. If the pre-trial hearings are any indication, the outcome may not be favorable. The trial hasn’t even commenced, yet the presiding judge has already shown frustration towards Fox’s legal representation and put them on alert.
Perhaps the tide will turn for Fox News when the judge officially opens the trial on Monday. However, if the proceedings unfold like the previous weeks of court have, Fox News is in for a harsh journey.
