Holman W. Jenkins Jr., a veteran member of The Wall Street Journal's editorial board and author of the biweekly "Business World" column, published a piece Saturday titled "Network News Sinks Low in Trump Settlement."
His Core Claim: Networks "Cave" to Trump Because TV Is a "Dying" Business. Jenkins' central argument is that traditional TV networks like CBS aren't capitulating to Trump's lawsuits out of moral cowardice or political bias, but because the broadcast news industry is a "dying business" on life support—plagued by cord-cutting, digital disruption, and evaporating revenues.
He frames the settlement as a desperate survival tactic for a weakened Paramount, rather than a principled stand for journalism.
Key points: Trump sued CBS in October 2024, alleging deceptive editing in the Harris interview to boost her election chances, seeking $10 billion (later upped to $20 billion). The September 2025 settlement saw Paramount pay $16 million toward Trump's presidential library, release future interview transcripts, and avoid an apology. Jenkins calls the suit "meritless" but notes CBS's initial defiance crumbled under financial strain.
TV's Decline as the Real Culprit: Jenkins highlights how network news viewership has cratered—CBS Evening News down 35% since 2020, with ad dollars fleeing to TikTok and YouTube. He writes: "Look away from Mr. Trump’s garish self-indulgence and see how low the network news has sunk."
Traditional TV's ad revenue has halved in a decade, forcing mergers like Paramount's $8 billion deal with Skydance Media. Prolonged litigation risks derailing that lifeline, making settlement a "rational" cave-in.
He draws parallels to ABC's $15 million settlement with Trump in December 2024 over George Stephanopoulos's on-air remarks and Meta's $25 million payout in January 2025 for post-Jan. 6 account suspensions. In a healthier media landscape, Jenkins argues, giants like CBS could fight indefinitely, but today's "struggling" firms can't afford the gamble—especially with Trump's ally Larry Ellison backing Skydance.