The former legendary CBS news anchor Dan instead He expressed his disappointment on Wednesday in Paramount Global‘s resolution To pay $ 16 million to the Trump administration and settling a lawsuit on “60 minutes” a report.
“It is a sad day for the press,” I instead tell diverse. “It is a sad day for 60 minutes and CBS News. I hope people will read the details of this and understand what it was. It was the distortion of the president and the kneeling down and says,” Yes, sir, “by billionaire companies.”
Most legal scientists have agreed that the lawsuit-in which Trump accused “60 minutes” from editing a deceptive interview with a secret candidate at the time, Kamala Harris-was trivial and will not stand under the first amendment.
Instead, he said: “What really makes me in this matter is that Paramount was not forced to settle.” “You are a lawsuit when you make something wrong.” 60 minutes, “I did nothing wrong. I followed the acceptable press practices. Lawyers said almost unanimously that the case would not stand in court.”
Instead, he expressed full support for his former CBS News and “60 minutes”: “My support for them is complete, absolute.” “I really think they have fought a good fight on this topic, and they will continue to fight. People in” 60 minutes “and in CBS News not only took it. They made their best to stop it.”
However, he said he was not shocked by the global parameont settlement. The decision to conclude a large -scale deal was seen as a decisive step to receive the approval of the Trump -controlled Federal Communications Committee to acquire $ 8 billion from the media group.
He said: “I was disappointed, but I was not surprised.” Business businessmen make adult decisions on money. We can always hope that they will be excluded when it comes to freedom of the press, but it was not so.
He added: “Trump knew whether he had pressured pressure and threats and considered only that they are cylindrical, because there is a lot of money on the table.” “Trump is now forcing a full news institution to pay millions of dollars in exchange for something protected under the constitution-which is, of course, free and independent reports. Now, you take the sale of today. This was what it was: It was sales to sell the president. Who can now say where all this ends?”
Instead, he referred to the biggest issue on the meaning of this to the United States as a democracy. “It is not only the press, but more importantly, with the country as a whole,” he said. “What kind of country will we get, what kind of country we will be. If the main news organizations continue to bow before power and stop trying to hold strong accountability, we all lose.
He said: “After that, the large law firms were settling on the right and left, and they raised the same way.” “The major universities do the same. Trump is smiling with what he wants. Now he will decide on what he wants from news organizations. So when I say,“ Where does this go? “What are the effects of the press as a whole?”
When asked about the advice he might give to people in CBS News and “60 minutes”, he said with humility that it is not his place – but they already know “in their hearts, being the best things to do. I will say that, I expect them to completely double any wonderful reports they are allowed to do.”
Within more than 60 years as a journalist, he said instead that he had never seen the profession faces the kind of challenges you face now. He said: “The press has made trials and trials before, and it requires courage only for the soldier.” “Continue to try, continue to fight. It is necessary to do so
