Paramount Global, the corporate owner of CBS News, has reportedly offered President Donald Trump a $15 million payout in an attempt to resolve a lawsuit claiming the network’s “60 Minutes” program deliberately edited a Kamala Harris interview to portray her more favorably.
However, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal, Trump’s attorneys have rejected the offer and are demanding over $25 million, along with a public apology from CBS News. The legal team has also warned of a separate lawsuit targeting what it claims is biased reporting by the network. Wednesday marked the deadline for Trump’s team to formally respond to Paramount’s request to have the suit dismissed.
The Journal reports that both parties are tentatively scheduled to participate in a mediation session on Thursday. Shari Redstone, the controlling shareholder of Paramount, has removed herself from direct involvement in the matter.
At the same time, Redstone is pursuing Trump administration approval for the multibillion-dollar sale of Paramount to Skydance, a major Hollywood studio, according to the Journal.
Last week, CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon informed staff she would be stepping down from her position. One source of conflict between McMahon and Paramount was reportedly her refusal to issue an apology to Trump as part of any potential settlement agreement.
Paramount executives have been debating the legal implications of settling the case, particularly whether doing so might expose company leadership to shareholder lawsuits or possible criminal investigations related to improper dealings with a public official. Some insiders told the Journal that reaching a settlement consistent with what other companies have paid to end litigation with Trump may help avoid those risks.
Back in December, Disney agreed to resolve a defamation suit involving ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos by contributing $15 million to Trump’s presidential foundation or museum, as well as paying $1 million toward Trump’s legal expenses. That case stemmed from Stephanopoulos’s on-air comment that Trump had been found civilly liable for assaulting writer E. Jean Carroll. A New York jury ultimately ruled Trump was liable for abuse.
In a separate case from January, Meta settled with Trump for $25 million after the social media company banned his accounts following the January 6 events at the U.S. Capitol. The following month, X also reached a settlement with Trump, reportedly agreeing to pay around $10 million, the Journal reported.
{Matzav.com}
