Perhaps this group of plaintiffs could also sue Fox News. Thirteen plaintiffs at $1 billion awarded to each plaintiff, would be $13 billion. Defendants could also be required to pay punitive damages and all court costs. 🤔
It is ironic that one of the first newspapers Murdoch bought was called "The Dominion." Sometimes the beginning is also the end. Completely controlling/dominating Fox News with only a 39.6% share, a masculine Foxy Loxy's future may be defeat by Chicken Little. Sometimes when one has a fortune, acquiring more "green" is a game, perhaps a betting sickness of addiction.
Defiant to the end - No, no, it's not Fox -blaming others, a true trump disposition.
With so much distress, anxiety in the world now - inflation, division,Ukraine, China , Greene . . .we won't include Santos, he has just become a joke - perhaps a little comic help to trump may be in order.
Some suggestions for name calling: Sucker (among others) Tucker; Vanity Hannity; Looney Tunes Laura and "Rupert who? I don't know him."
There is no doubt that FOX has operated as an enabler of misinformation, where sensational content prevails over objective news coverage. Fox operates as a virtual hostile media platform, with key broadcasters promoting a propaganda-based agenda. People who have money, power and position too often fly under the radar of accountability. The realm of privilege and entitlement allows them to reap benefits, to the detriment of others. We expect our elected officials to act in good faith, but the American 'political machine' is plagued by many disingenuous players, who are not a credit to the institutions they swore an oath to protect and defend. Government often seems to get bogged down in its own mass, with a gaping partisan divide impeding forward motion. Rupert Murdoch may have amassed millions, but his life is not finite; nor is his legacy admirable. He is a disparate, self-serving ageing man, known by 'the company he keeps.' In the final analysis, living a life of integrity and good purpose is worth more than any amount of money.
Fox news has never been held accountable for any of its lies and distortions. Why hasn't the FCC gone after Fox? The company violated so many rules and nothing has ever done? Why hasn't the Democratic Party sued Fox? Since 1996 Rupert Murdoch and has had free rein to spread discourse and lies on cable television. The US congress could have reined in cable TV outlets why didn't why, haven't they? Money, Murdoch gave money to both sides to keep our elected officials in line. Money and power that is what has happened in America.
I hate to say it but revolution is our only way to resolve the evil that permeated our society.
You mention that in the scandal in the UK, Murdoch said he felt “regret” over the illegal behavior, and James noted that revenues from the paper’s final edition would go to “good causes.” Separately, Rupert insisted that the allegations reported were “deplorable and unacceptable.” Yet, when it came to spreading lies about the 2020 election, allowing his FOX anchors to spread election denialism even though they knew they were lying, even though they knew that they were staining the profession of journalism, Murdoch let it continue, because he didn't want to lose his viewer base, because quantity of viewers is more important than telling the truth . Ahhhhh !!!!!!! I have been waiting all week to vent over this. FOX, led by Murdoch, was not being a journalism entity, it was an organization going for Nielsen ratings, no matter how much it hurt our country, no matter how much it hurt our Democracy. It was no accident. Murdock and the FOX hosts were knowingly lying to boost ratings among their base. This is such a clearcut crime. This is such a clearcut crime. This is such a clearcut crime. Yes, I intentionally said it 3 times for emphasis. Court cases are sometimes decided on level of a crime depending on if it was an accident or if it was pre-meditated. Well, now we have the facts loud and clear: IT WAS PRE-MEDITATED. (capitalization for emphasis). There is no amount of money that is enough to punish FOX for this act of a pre-meditated crime, inciting its base to believe the big lie, which in turn led to the insurrection, which was intended to overturn our Democracy. FOX as a corporation, and each of the executives and on-air hosts, individually, should be fined to the fullest extent of the law; and then they should all be jailed for a pre-meditated crime against the government of the United States. Justice Justice Shall Thou Pursue . God Bless America.
Being as it is the "say whatever you want us to say" television network of the Republican Party, there is no amount of money one can remove from the coffers of Fox News tthat won't be replaced by the same funders of the likes of Trump, DeSantis, McConnell, et al. In as much as these billionaires and their corporations have a never ending source of revenue, so too does Fox until America returns to understanding that its airwaves are PUBLIC and should be treated as such. Returning to an era of strong FCC leaders and a "Fairness Doctrne" would be a great start.
I’m not sure sure there is an amount that would stop it. Even if it’s every penny they have, it won’t stop it. The MAGAs and conspiracy-theorists and MTG and Gaetz and Carlson et al will keep on going. Trump will keep on going and find someone else to give him a platform to spew - like, maybe Elon Musk. The Genie was freed from the bottle in 2015 at the very least and can’t be shoved back in...even if Rupert and Lachlan sit there crying and apologize and fold up their tents and go back Down Under (and proceed to ruin that country) it’s really too late. We can only fix this with long-term control of Congress, state legislatures and people realizing that demonizing their fellow Americans for their differences of skin color, religion, sexuality don’t help anyone including themselves.
Continuing in my Quixotic quest to explain the game of Blackjack to people who should know better, you double down from a position of strength, when you have a substantial advantage over the house. What FOX et. al. is doing is better described as double or nothing, which is what you do when you are desperate.
Fox’s greatest fear is that they will lose viewers to even more right-wing purveyors of lies and conspiracy theories. Sadly, even if this lawsuit leaves Fox a hollowed-out shell, the BarcaLounger set will find even more toxic sources.
Foxnews has done serious damage to the country even if they had not taken part in the big lie. Its possible that if Murdoch decided tomorrow that the "news" personalities would start reporting honestly, or to the best of their ability, it might be the end altogether. They have deceived their viewers long before the presidential run of 2016. They have successfully manipulated viewers until they dont believe govt documents are to be believed, same with media, obviously democratic officials as well. I learned a couple of years ago that one way to know if a person has been psychologically manipulated is by asking them to prove a statement they believe to be truth, or a lie whichever & if they can not, it's a sign of manipulation. They no longer grasp the importance of experts, and many believe their own opinions to be equal in weight even though they havent informed themselves at all on the same issue. The GOP should not get a pass bc had they not regularly made appearances on foxnews and either lied , or agreed to lies to lend legitimacy, then repeated the same lies on the floors of both houses of Congress, maybe fewer ppl would have believed them. They are every bit as responsible as foxnews is.
I read a document in the Dominion case showing text messages that revealed that someone at foxnews said something to the effect that they thought viewers would be upset if the personalities at foxnews had reported the truth about the 2020 election. Unfortunately I dont remember who it was, possibly a producer. Anyway, I read many of the comments on social media to the tweet of a journo that shared either the page, or a link to it. Of course they varied, but I saw several say things like that maga would quit watching foxnews if they dared to dispute something Trump said. I did not see anything to imply that much thought, or any at all was given to the idea of that. It's as if many on the right think the truth is whatever we choose to believe it is. A successful Putin move has been to warp the information space in Russia so badly that the Russian ppl believe the truth can not be known. It's one expected result by those that take part in disinformation campaigns, and clearly theyve achieved their goals. Not knowing who is to be believed is another. This isnt a small number of ppl. Once Trump took office the right wing media apparatus, and members of the gop only needed to increase the frequency and intensity.
I'm commenting on this piece having only read the header and it's main question:
"How many billions in compensatory and punitive damages will it take before Fox boss Rupert Murdoch decides to stop his propagandists from spreading lies about election fraud and further poisoning American democracy " Monetary sanctions as the deterrent has shown to be the wrong thinking, they are not changing a thing..As repugnant as it sounds, they are traitors to this Republic and require tangible action taken to demonstrate in clear no uncertain terms this shit must stop..
But just as Senate Democrats are too timid to get a resignation from Feinstein, so Gov. Newsom can appoint a successor, to proceed in subpoenaing Thomas, it seems unlikely that the will to take these actions is anywhere to be found. Democrats are weak, feckless and standing in their own way..
Thanks, Steven, for this excellent article. I also read that Fox had shared confidential information from the Biden campaign with the Trump campaign...and wonder if there is any liability for that also. Beginning with Rush Limbaugh in the 90's, the vitriol from the right wing has really fractured our country. I wish that there was someone equally motivated, and with equal wherewithal, who could act as a counteragent for good, decency and bringing the country together. An "anti-Murdoch/Fox". Thanks again for your timely, spot-on, article, Steven!
Australian prime minister Turnbull: “I would challenge anyone...to nominate which individual alive today has done more to undermine American democracy than Rupert Murdoch." Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mitch McConnell. A balanced or constitutionally fair Supreme Court could go a long way in restraining the likes of Murdoch and his sleaze.
Yesterday the DOJ announced the lawsuit by two Capitol Police officers and eleven Democratic House members can proceed.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/02/trump-jan6-lawsuit-riot/
Perhaps this group of plaintiffs could also sue Fox News. Thirteen plaintiffs at $1 billion awarded to each plaintiff, would be $13 billion. Defendants could also be required to pay punitive damages and all court costs. 🤔
It is ironic that one of the first newspapers Murdoch bought was called "The Dominion." Sometimes the beginning is also the end. Completely controlling/dominating Fox News with only a 39.6% share, a masculine Foxy Loxy's future may be defeat by Chicken Little. Sometimes when one has a fortune, acquiring more "green" is a game, perhaps a betting sickness of addiction.
Defiant to the end - No, no, it's not Fox -blaming others, a true trump disposition.
With so much distress, anxiety in the world now - inflation, division,Ukraine, China , Greene . . .we won't include Santos, he has just become a joke - perhaps a little comic help to trump may be in order.
Some suggestions for name calling: Sucker (among others) Tucker; Vanity Hannity; Looney Tunes Laura and "Rupert who? I don't know him."
How about $17.7 B, his net worth?
There is no doubt that FOX has operated as an enabler of misinformation, where sensational content prevails over objective news coverage. Fox operates as a virtual hostile media platform, with key broadcasters promoting a propaganda-based agenda. People who have money, power and position too often fly under the radar of accountability. The realm of privilege and entitlement allows them to reap benefits, to the detriment of others. We expect our elected officials to act in good faith, but the American 'political machine' is plagued by many disingenuous players, who are not a credit to the institutions they swore an oath to protect and defend. Government often seems to get bogged down in its own mass, with a gaping partisan divide impeding forward motion. Rupert Murdoch may have amassed millions, but his life is not finite; nor is his legacy admirable. He is a disparate, self-serving ageing man, known by 'the company he keeps.' In the final analysis, living a life of integrity and good purpose is worth more than any amount of money.
Murdoch has done more to coarsen culture and undermine liberal democracy than any other human being since WW2. He’s had many co-conspirators.
Fox news has never been held accountable for any of its lies and distortions. Why hasn't the FCC gone after Fox? The company violated so many rules and nothing has ever done? Why hasn't the Democratic Party sued Fox? Since 1996 Rupert Murdoch and has had free rein to spread discourse and lies on cable television. The US congress could have reined in cable TV outlets why didn't why, haven't they? Money, Murdoch gave money to both sides to keep our elected officials in line. Money and power that is what has happened in America.
I hate to say it but revolution is our only way to resolve the evil that permeated our society.
You mention that in the scandal in the UK, Murdoch said he felt “regret” over the illegal behavior, and James noted that revenues from the paper’s final edition would go to “good causes.” Separately, Rupert insisted that the allegations reported were “deplorable and unacceptable.” Yet, when it came to spreading lies about the 2020 election, allowing his FOX anchors to spread election denialism even though they knew they were lying, even though they knew that they were staining the profession of journalism, Murdoch let it continue, because he didn't want to lose his viewer base, because quantity of viewers is more important than telling the truth . Ahhhhh !!!!!!! I have been waiting all week to vent over this. FOX, led by Murdoch, was not being a journalism entity, it was an organization going for Nielsen ratings, no matter how much it hurt our country, no matter how much it hurt our Democracy. It was no accident. Murdock and the FOX hosts were knowingly lying to boost ratings among their base. This is such a clearcut crime. This is such a clearcut crime. This is such a clearcut crime. Yes, I intentionally said it 3 times for emphasis. Court cases are sometimes decided on level of a crime depending on if it was an accident or if it was pre-meditated. Well, now we have the facts loud and clear: IT WAS PRE-MEDITATED. (capitalization for emphasis). There is no amount of money that is enough to punish FOX for this act of a pre-meditated crime, inciting its base to believe the big lie, which in turn led to the insurrection, which was intended to overturn our Democracy. FOX as a corporation, and each of the executives and on-air hosts, individually, should be fined to the fullest extent of the law; and then they should all be jailed for a pre-meditated crime against the government of the United States. Justice Justice Shall Thou Pursue . God Bless America.
Being as it is the "say whatever you want us to say" television network of the Republican Party, there is no amount of money one can remove from the coffers of Fox News tthat won't be replaced by the same funders of the likes of Trump, DeSantis, McConnell, et al. In as much as these billionaires and their corporations have a never ending source of revenue, so too does Fox until America returns to understanding that its airwaves are PUBLIC and should be treated as such. Returning to an era of strong FCC leaders and a "Fairness Doctrne" would be a great start.
I’m not sure sure there is an amount that would stop it. Even if it’s every penny they have, it won’t stop it. The MAGAs and conspiracy-theorists and MTG and Gaetz and Carlson et al will keep on going. Trump will keep on going and find someone else to give him a platform to spew - like, maybe Elon Musk. The Genie was freed from the bottle in 2015 at the very least and can’t be shoved back in...even if Rupert and Lachlan sit there crying and apologize and fold up their tents and go back Down Under (and proceed to ruin that country) it’s really too late. We can only fix this with long-term control of Congress, state legislatures and people realizing that demonizing their fellow Americans for their differences of skin color, religion, sexuality don’t help anyone including themselves.
Continuing in my Quixotic quest to explain the game of Blackjack to people who should know better, you double down from a position of strength, when you have a substantial advantage over the house. What FOX et. al. is doing is better described as double or nothing, which is what you do when you are desperate.
Justice has two black eyes. No serious move on Trump or Fox. Jan 6. was TWO YEARS AGO. 🦊 has been a blight for years. Patience has worn thin.
Fox’s greatest fear is that they will lose viewers to even more right-wing purveyors of lies and conspiracy theories. Sadly, even if this lawsuit leaves Fox a hollowed-out shell, the BarcaLounger set will find even more toxic sources.
Foxnews has done serious damage to the country even if they had not taken part in the big lie. Its possible that if Murdoch decided tomorrow that the "news" personalities would start reporting honestly, or to the best of their ability, it might be the end altogether. They have deceived their viewers long before the presidential run of 2016. They have successfully manipulated viewers until they dont believe govt documents are to be believed, same with media, obviously democratic officials as well. I learned a couple of years ago that one way to know if a person has been psychologically manipulated is by asking them to prove a statement they believe to be truth, or a lie whichever & if they can not, it's a sign of manipulation. They no longer grasp the importance of experts, and many believe their own opinions to be equal in weight even though they havent informed themselves at all on the same issue. The GOP should not get a pass bc had they not regularly made appearances on foxnews and either lied , or agreed to lies to lend legitimacy, then repeated the same lies on the floors of both houses of Congress, maybe fewer ppl would have believed them. They are every bit as responsible as foxnews is.
I read a document in the Dominion case showing text messages that revealed that someone at foxnews said something to the effect that they thought viewers would be upset if the personalities at foxnews had reported the truth about the 2020 election. Unfortunately I dont remember who it was, possibly a producer. Anyway, I read many of the comments on social media to the tweet of a journo that shared either the page, or a link to it. Of course they varied, but I saw several say things like that maga would quit watching foxnews if they dared to dispute something Trump said. I did not see anything to imply that much thought, or any at all was given to the idea of that. It's as if many on the right think the truth is whatever we choose to believe it is. A successful Putin move has been to warp the information space in Russia so badly that the Russian ppl believe the truth can not be known. It's one expected result by those that take part in disinformation campaigns, and clearly theyve achieved their goals. Not knowing who is to be believed is another. This isnt a small number of ppl. Once Trump took office the right wing media apparatus, and members of the gop only needed to increase the frequency and intensity.
I'm commenting on this piece having only read the header and it's main question:
"How many billions in compensatory and punitive damages will it take before Fox boss Rupert Murdoch decides to stop his propagandists from spreading lies about election fraud and further poisoning American democracy " Monetary sanctions as the deterrent has shown to be the wrong thinking, they are not changing a thing..As repugnant as it sounds, they are traitors to this Republic and require tangible action taken to demonstrate in clear no uncertain terms this shit must stop..
But just as Senate Democrats are too timid to get a resignation from Feinstein, so Gov. Newsom can appoint a successor, to proceed in subpoenaing Thomas, it seems unlikely that the will to take these actions is anywhere to be found. Democrats are weak, feckless and standing in their own way..
Thanks, Steven, for this excellent article. I also read that Fox had shared confidential information from the Biden campaign with the Trump campaign...and wonder if there is any liability for that also. Beginning with Rush Limbaugh in the 90's, the vitriol from the right wing has really fractured our country. I wish that there was someone equally motivated, and with equal wherewithal, who could act as a counteragent for good, decency and bringing the country together. An "anti-Murdoch/Fox". Thanks again for your timely, spot-on, article, Steven!
Australian prime minister Turnbull: “I would challenge anyone...to nominate which individual alive today has done more to undermine American democracy than Rupert Murdoch." Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mitch McConnell. A balanced or constitutionally fair Supreme Court could go a long way in restraining the likes of Murdoch and his sleaze.
It’s a bit like his namesake the murderer. They think they can get away with anything, and usually do