Now is the time to remember what Fox's own lawyers said about Tucker Carlson

[Nevilledog]

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💫 Margaret Sullivan
@Sulliview
The Murdochs should put decency above dollars, but they won’t. My column on Tucker Carlson, Ukraine and what Fox’s own lawyers admitted his show is really all about

washingtonpost.com
Perspective | Now is the time to remember what Fox’s own lawyers said about Tucker Carlson
Carlson's ugly defense of Vladimir Putin should be seen in the light of Fox's argument that no one should take him seriously.
9:15 AM · Feb 24, 2022

https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2022/02/24/tucker-carlson-ukraine-fox-news-lawyers/

No paywall
https://archive.fo/hwbpD

*snip*


But it’s important to remember what Carlson is: nothing more than an outrage machine. What he offers is not political commentary. It’s Fox-approved nonsense meant to juice ratings — and it works.

Don’t take my word for it. In 2020, Fox’s own lawyers successfully made the case in court that Carlson shouldn’t be taken seriously. And a Trump-appointed federal judge agreed.

U.S. District Court Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil echoed Fox’s own arguments in finding that Carlson didn’t commit slander when he accused a former Playboy model, Karen McDougal, of extortion, after the National Enquirer bought her story of an affair with Trump and then promptly shelved it on his behalf.

Why not? Because, Vyskocil decided, the whole tenor of Carlson’s show makes it clear to viewers that he is not stating “actual facts” about his topics.

“Whether the Court frames Mr. Carlson’s statements as ‘exaggeration,’ ‘non-literal commentary,’ or simply bloviating for his audience,” she wrote, “the conclusion remains the same — the statements are not actionable.”

She added: “Fox persuasively argues, that given Mr. Carlson’s reputation, any reasonable viewer 'arrive[s] with an appropriate amount of skepticism’ about the statement he makes.”

*snip*


There ain't nothin' reasonable about Fox viewers.

[spanone]

1. What a bullshit 'excuse' from fox.

[aquamarina]

2. Problem is Tucker's viewers are too stupid know know that.

And they actually believe his lies and formulate opinions and beliefs based on those lies. He really should be removed from the air as should the whole of Faux Noise Disinformation Machine.