Over the weekend, news broke that President-elect Trump reached a settlement with ABC News and other linked entities in the defamation suit he brought against the network. As NewsBusters previously reported, the settlement went unmentioned during Stephanopoulos’s Sunday show, but further, it was not mentioned on any ABC News program through Monday’s Good Morning America. The settlement was also omitted by all CBS News flagship programs over the same time period.
While they ignored news of their own settlement, Good Morning America spent over two-and-a-half minutes (2:41) on a local story out of California about someone stealing Christmas decorations. Meanwhile, CBS Mornings spent nearly eight minutes (7:53) on U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson performing on Broadway, nearly two minutes (1:59) of which was a tease for the actual segment.
The only mentions of the settlement from a broadcast news outlet came from NBC; tucked into reports about the Trump transition and the fights to get his nominees confirmed. The first report came during Saturday’s NBC Nightly News as they noted that their rival network would be paying $15 million to help with Trump’s future presidential library.
“And breaking late today, court filings showing a settlement has been reached between ABC, ABC News, anchor George Stephanopoulos, and President-elect Trump,” announced correspondent Aaron Gilchrist.
Adding: “ABC agreeding to make a $15 million donation to a future Trump Presidential Foundation and Museum, pay $1 million to cover legal fees, and publish a statement of regret to settle a defamation lawsuit Trump filed against ABC, ABC News, and Stephanopoulos in March.”
Explaining what brought on the lawsuit, Gilchrist noted: “Stephanopoulos said on-air that Trump had been found liable for rape in the E. Jean Carroll case when, in fact, Trump had been found civilly liable for sexual abuse.”
There was similar framing during NBC’s Today on Monday from correspondent Garrett Haake:
It all comes as the President-elect notched a major legal victory, with ABC agreeing to pay $15 million to a future Trump Presidential Foundation and Museum. With the network and anchor George Stephanopoulos saying they, quote, “regret statements regarding Mr. Trump during a March interview which he called defamatory.”
[Cuts back to live]
And an ABC News spokesperson responded to that settlement with an email saying, “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing.”
In all, NBC spent less than a minute-and-a-half (1:24) on the settlement.
Speaking of ignored defamation suits, none of the broadcast networks have reporting on the $1 billion defamation suit CNN was embroiled in. In the latest development in the case, CNN was being accused of misleading the court about disclosing financial documents for key for a possible punitive damages reward.
To stay up to date on the CNN defamation suit, click here.
The transcripts are below. Click "expand" to read:
NBC Nightly News
December 14, 2024
6:39:17 p.m. Eastern(…)
AARON GILCHRIST: And breaking late today, court filings showing a settlement has been reached between ABC, ABC News, anchor George Stephanopoulos, and President-elect Trump. ABC agreeding to make a $15 million donation to a future Trump Presidential Foundation and Museum, pay $1 million to cover legal fees, and publish a statement of regret to settle a defamation lawsuit Trump filed against ABC, ABC News, and Stephanopoulos in March.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Said on-air that Trump had been found liable for rape in the E. Jean Carroll case when, in fact, Trump had been found civilly liable for sexual abuse.
[Cuts back to live]
JOSE DIAZ-BALART: And Aaron, what are we hearing tonight from ABC News and the Trump transition team on this settlement?
GILCHRIST: Well Jose, the Trump team is referring us back to the court filing. The spokesperson for ABC News said, quote, “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit.” Jose.
DIAZ-BALART: Aaron Gilchrist, thank you.
NBC News’s Today
December 16, 2024
6:39:17 a.m. EasternGARRETT HAAKE: It all comes as the President-elect notched a major legal victory, with ABC agreeing to pay $15 million to a future Trump Presidential Foundation and Museum. With the network and anchor George Stephanopoulos saying they, quote, “regret statements regarding Mr. Trump during a March interview which he called defamatory.”
[Cuts back to live]
And an ABC News spokesperson responded to that settlement with an email saying, “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing.”
(…)
