Paramount Global—formerly ViacomCBS—will pay $16 million (£13.5 million) to settle a class-action legal battle. This settlement doesn’t just affect you, former President Donald Trump. The settlement comes after Republican former President Donald Trump’s unsuccessful lawsuit enacted last October. Among other things, he accused the media conglomerate of manipulatingly editing an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris that aired on CBS’s 60 Minutes. This legal fight has attracted a large amount of scrutiny, particularly in context of Trump’s ongoing feud with media outlets.
The lawsuit alleged that the edited interview was manipulated to “tip the scales in favour of the Democratic party.” The interview, which was hosted by Bill Whitaker, mainly addressed the Biden administration’s complicity with Israel. Trump was originally only going after $10 billion (£8.5 billion) in damages but later upped his suit to $20 billion (£17 billion).
In May, Paramount Global offered a $15 million (£12.7 million) settlement. Trump walked away from the deal, demanding more than $25 million (£21 million). As negotiations continued, CBS News executives, including chief executive Wendy McMahon, departed from their roles due to their refusal to issue an apology to Trump regarding the allegations.
In addition to the cash settlements, CBS’s 60 Minutes will publish transcripts from their interviews with every one of the presidential contenders. This important step will help improve transparency and accountability in campaign finance’s grip on political coverage.
In a statement released after the settlement announcement, Trump’s legal team rejoiced at the outcome. They characterized it as “another win for the American people as he, once again, holds the Fake News media accountable for their wrongdoing and deceit.”
“another win for the American people as he, once again, holds the Fake News media accountable for their wrongdoing and deceit” – Trump’s legal team spokesman
The interview ignited a firestorm because of the two completely opposite interpretations of Harris’s answer. One went on CBS’s Face the Nation, the other went on 60 Minutes. The ensuing clashes raised questions about the preservation of independent editorial content. As we enter another presidential election cycle, the issue of fairness in reporting has moved to the fore.
This settlement brings to a close a long and important legal battle. It stands as a striking accommodation by one of the three largest U.S. media firms to Trump, who regularly lacerates media organizations for coverage he considers fraudulent or inaccurate.