CBS has announced it will provide the Federal Communications Commission with an unedited transcript of an October interview conducted with Kamala Harris. The decision comes amidst ongoing tensions with President Donald Trump, who claims the network manipulated the interview to favor his political opponent.
Trump initiated a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS, alleging that the "60 Minutes" segment was deceptively edited to portray Harris in a positive light. Reports indicate that Paramount, CBS's parent company, has been in settlement discussions with Trump’s legal team.
The network disclosed on Friday that they were compelled by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, appointed by Trump, to surrender both the transcripts and camera footage from the interview for an additional inquiry by the commission. Historically, "60 Minutes" has resisted such disclosures to prevent scrutiny of their editorial decisions.
This legal battle has attracted significant attention from press freedom advocates and CBS journalists alike, with CBS lawyers dismissing Trump's lawsuit as "completely without merit" and committing to a robust defense.
The controversy surrounding the Harris interview arose when CBS aired different answers to the same question from Harris on "Face the Nation" and "60 Minutes." The question involved Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with Harris initially offering a verbose response on "Face the Nation" but a much shorter, clearer one on "60 Minutes."
Trump's lawsuit claims this editing was deceitful, crossing from editorial discretion into manipulation, with the intent to obscure Harris's perceived weaknesses. CBS counters that the edits were made for brevity, fitting content into the time allotted for each segment.
Trump's legal action, filed in Texas, accuses CBS of "partisan and unlawful acts of voter interference" through its editing practices. Despite declining an interview with "60 Minutes" during his campaign, Trump has pursued this case even after his election victory.
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