• by Wayne Friedman , 6 hours ago

As new behind-the-scenes information about Fox News Channel is released in the Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuit case against the media company, Lachlan Murdoch, executive chair and CEO of Fox Corp., diffused heightened concerns that the $1.6 billion case could cause issues -- financial and otherwise -- for the company.

“A lot of noise you hear about this case is actually not about the law, and it is not about journalism,” said Murdoch, speaking at a Morgan Stanley media conference on Thursday. “It is really about politics, right? And that is unfortunately more reflective of a polarized society we live in today.”

The lawsuit goes to court in April.

Recent and troubling news for Fox News Channel, according to analysts, came via private texts/emails -- especially from on-air prime-time hosts Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, and Sean Hannity. It was revealed that they knew the Presidential election was not stolen, analysts say, even as their on-air opinions promoted and pushed the opposite viewpoint.

Murdoch said on Thursday: “Fundamentally a news organization has an obligation to report news fulsomely, wholesomely, and without fear or favor. That is what Fox News has always done. And that’s what Fox News will always do.”

Murdoch went on to tout the continued strength of Fox News Channel. February’s Nielsen viewing data showed Fox News with 2.26 million prime-time viewers -- the best result among all cable networks. News-channel competitors MSNBC and CNN were far behind -- at 1.17 million and 587,000, respectively.

Murdoch added that the makeup of the largely conservative-leaning Fox News audience is also more diverse than competitors.

“We have more Democrats and independents watching Fox News than CNN or MSNBC. We have more Hispanics [Americans] watching Fox News. We have more Asian [Americans] watching Fox News.

He said, referring to the channel’s viewers: “They see Fox News as not just a news channel but really a channel that speaks to middle America and respects the values of middle America -- as a media business that is most relevant to them.”