The Fox News Paradox: Loyalty to Trump Over Truth The sudden departure of Maria Bartiromo from Fox News has reignited a long standing debate about the network's priorities: loyalty to its audience or loyalty to fact.
Beneath the surface, however, lies a more complex issue. Fox News' alleged punishment of Bartiromo for her enthusiasm for Donald Trump's election claims ignores the network's financial reality.
The hundreds of millions of dollars in defamation suits it has faced – including a $787 million settlement last year – suggest that Bartiromo's zealous coverage was not only a liability but also a potentially costly one.