Reportedly Considering Settlement: CBS’ Parent Company May Settle $10 Billion Lawsuit Over 60 Minutes Interview

CBS is reportedly considering settling the $10 billion lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump against the network over a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris.

Trump’s lawsuit claims that CBS used its national platform to engage in “deceitful, deceptive manipulation of news” by airing two differently edited versions of Harris’ response to a question about the war in Gaza. However, a law professor cited by CBS News has described Trump’s lawsuit as “so ill grounded that it comes close to being sanctionable as frivolous.”

Despite this, Paramount Global, CBS’ parent company, may be considering settling the suit to avoid potential backlash from the incoming administration and secure approval for its proposed merger with Skydance.

The move comes after Trump’s incoming FCC chairman Brendan Carr warned executives at Paramount last year that presidential dissatisfaction with CBS News would make a review of the merger more difficult. Carr made similar comments during a Fox News interview in November, stating that any “news distortion complaint” against CBS could arise during the review process of the transaction.

CBS’ willingness to settle the lawsuit suggests that it may be prioritizing its financial interests over its commitment to journalistic integrity and free speech. The move would also set a concerning precedent for the media industry as a whole, potentially paving the way for future lawsuits and censorship threats from powerful figures like Trump.

It’s worth noting that Disney agreed to pay $15 million to Trump’s presidential foundation and museum in December to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by the former President. A similar settlement could have significant implications for the media landscape, particularly as the industry grapples with the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation.

In related news, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg has been accused of sharply redirecting his company’s policies to the right while meeting with Trump, reportedly “in part to mediate a lawsuit Trump brought against Facebook and Zuckerberg in 2021 over the platform’s suspension of Trump’s account after the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.”

Source: www.theverge.com