Paramount to pay Trump $16m to settle 60 Minutes lawsuit

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3w4n8778q2o

US media company Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million (£13.5m) 
to settle a legal dispute with US President Donald Trump regarding an 
interview it broadcast on CBS with former Vice-President Kamala Harris.

Trump filed a lawsuit last October, alleging the network had deceptively 
edited an interview that aired on its 60 Minutes news programme with his 
presidential election rival Kamala Harris, to "tip the scales in favour of 
the Democratic party".

Paramount said it would pay to settle the suit, but with the money 
allocated to Trump's future presidential library, not paid to him 
"directly or indirectly".

The company noted the settlement does not include a statement of apology 
or regret.

A spokesperson for Trump's legal team swiftly hailed the settlement as a 
"win for the American people" over the "fake news media".

"CBS and Paramount Global realised the strength of this historic case and 
had no choice but to settle," the spokesperson added. "President Trump 
will always ensure that no one gets away with lying to the American 
people."

CBS, which is owned by Paramount, previously said the case was "completely 
without merit" and had asked a judge to dismiss it. It stressed the 
broadcast was "not doctored or deceitful".

The settlement marks the latest concession by a US media company to a 
president who has targeted outlets over what he describes as false or 
misleading coverage.

According to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Texas, CBS aired two 
versions of the Harris interview in which she appeared to give different 
answers to the same question about the Israel-Gaza war.

Interviewer Bill Whitaker asked the Democratic nominee about the Biden 
administration's relationship with Israel. The network later aired two 
different versions of her response, according to the claim.

One clip aired on Face the Nation and the other on 60 Minutes. Trump 
claimed Harris's "word salad" answer had been deceptively edited in one 
version to shield her from backlash.

CBS, which is the BBC's US news partner, said it edited Harris's answer 
for time, in accordance with television news standards.

Trump sued, originally claiming for $10bn (£8.5bn) but that figure was 
later increased to $20bn ($17bn) for damages.

In May this year, the company offered $15m (12.7m) to settle the suit but 
Trump wanted more than $25m (£21m).

In a statement released on Tuesday, Paramount confirmed the settlement fee 
included the president's legal fees, and that it had agreed that 60 
Minutes will release transcripts of interviews with future presidential 
candidates.

Settled ahead of planned merger
According to both the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, the 
settlement was agreed - with the help of mediator - so as to not affect 
Paramount's planned merger with Skydance Media, which the Federal 
Communications Commission has been reviewing and therefore Trump 
technically has the power to halt.

During the month-long settlement talks, some CBS News executives including 
chief executive Wendy McMahon have left their roles, due to their 
unwillingness to issue an apology to Trump.

There were also reportedly concerns over whether paying to settle the 
lawsuit could be viewed as bribing a public official.

The Paramount settlement follows a decision by Walt Disney-owned ABC News 
to settle a defamation case brought by Trump.


-- 
November 5, 2024 - Congratulations President Donald Trump.  We look 
forward to America being great again.

We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that 
stupid people won't be offended.

Every day is an IQ test. Some pass, some, not so much.

Thank you for cleaning up the disasters of the 2008-2017, 2020-2024 Obama 
/ Biden / Harris fiascos, President Trump.

Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the 
The World According To Garp.  Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood 
queer liberal democrat donors.