Not a good week for Murdochs.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-21/ ... /102251072
Fox Corporation chief Lachlan Murdoch has dropped his defamation proceedings against the publisher of online news outlet Crikey and several of its editors and executives.
Key points:
Lachlan Murdoch filed a defamation case in the Federal Court in August
He alleged a June 2022 article published by Crikey caused "serious harm" to his reputation
The proceedings have been dropped days after Fox settled a separate case in the US
Mr Murdoch sued Private Media in the Federal Court in August over an article published by Crikey, claiming it defamed him in referring to his family as "unindicted co-conspirators" in the US Capitol riots.
On Friday his lawyers filed a notice to discontinue the case.
It comes days after Fox settled a defamation case in the US brought by Dominion Voting Systems, for $1.17 billion.
In a statement today, Mr Murdoch's lawyer John Churchill said his client remained confident the court would "ultimately find in his favour" but no longer wished to allow Crikey to use the case to "facilitate a marketing campaign" to boost subscribers.
Private Media has been contacted for comment.
Also named as respondents in the case were Crikey's former editor-in-chief Peter Fray, political editor Bernard Keane — who wrote the article — Private Media chairman Eric Beecher and chief executive Will Hayward.
The publisher maintained in court that the story was not defamatory, and that its contents were in the public interest.
Philly Boondoggle
