Fox News’ last-minute settlement with Dominion Voting Systems on Tuesday secured banner coverage on every television news network but one: Fox News.
The $787.5 million settlement was covered by Fox News just three times in about four hours after the settlement went public, amounting to about six minutes of coverage. For most of the day, including during the network’s primetime shows, hosts seemed to focus on other issues, such as illegal immigration and the possible origins of Covid-19.
The settlement remained top news on CNN, MSNBC and CBS News well into the evening. Anderson Cooper, host of the primetime show “Anderson Cooper 360,” led his program with the case and also interviewed Davinda Brook, Dominion’s lead attorney.
Neil Cavuto, host of the afternoon news program “Your World with Neil Cavuto” on Fox News, covered the settlement when the news broke and again after the dollar figure was announced. Howard Kurtz, Fox News’ media analyst, told Mr. Cavuto that the electoral fraud claims about Dominion were “clearly false” and “conspiracy theories”. In another segment, Mr. Kurtz said that “both parties had an incentive to avoid a costly six-week trial”.
The news network also published one story on its home page more than an hour after the settlement was announced. The story included the network’s official statement, calling the lawsuit “media fodder.” On Tuesday night, the story was around 30th position on the home page.
Fox News declined to comment.
The news network had initially shunned the topic leading up to the trial. In February, Mr. Kurtz on Fox News’ lack of coverage of the lawsuit, telling viewers, “I think I should be covering it.”
“But,” he continued, “the company has decided, as part of the indicted organization, that I cannot talk or write about it, at least for now. I strongly disagree with that decision, but as an employee I have to stick to it.”
As the trial approached, Mr. Kurtz gave four segments to the case and said he would provide “fair and mean coverage.”
