"The only reason to do it, Colbert said, was to win brownie points from the president. It is self-evident that that is damaging to the reputation of the network, the corporation, and the news division, Colbert said. So it is unclear to me why anyone would do that other than to curry favor with a single individual. He also said Paramount's own attorneys said the settlement was completely without merit."
"The settlement was reached as Skydance was waiting for FCC approval on its acquisition of Paramount, the parent company of CBS. Trump had sued Paramount over how 60 Minutes edited an interview with Kamala Harris heading into the 2024 election. The president's attorneys argued it was selectively edited, which constituted election interference, and also caused Trump mental anguish. He bragged, during an interview on 60 Minutes on Sunday night, that Paramount paid me a lotta money to settle."
"CBS, as correspondent Norah O'Donnell noted during the broadcast, did not admit any wrongdoing as part of the settlement. Trump complimented both David Ellison, the Skydance boss who now runs Paramount, and Bari Weiss, the new editor-in-chief of CBS News, during that same interview. I see good things happening in the news. I really do, Trump said. And I think one of the best things to happen is this show and new ownership, CBS and new ownership."
Stephen Colbert said Paramount and CBS damaged their reputations by paying $16 million to settle President Trump’s lawsuit, suggesting the payment aimed to curry favor. Colbert noted that Paramount’s own attorneys considered the settlement meritless and earlier called the payment a "big fat bribe." The lawsuit stemmed from a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris that Trump alleged was selectively edited, constituting election interference and causing him mental anguish. The settlement occurred while Skydance awaited FCC approval to acquire Paramount. Trump publicly referenced the payment, praised new leadership at Paramount and CBS News, and CBS did not admit wrongdoing.
Read at www.mediaite.com
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