Democratic FCC commissioner blasts Paramount settlement with Trump as 'desperate move'
Paramount needs approval from the FCC for an $8.4-billion merger with Skydance Media. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez said the settlement over an entirely "meritless" lawsuit "now casts a long shadow over the integrity of the transaction pending before the FCC" and "marks a dangerous precedent for the First Amendment and it should alarm anyone who values a free and independent press."
FCC Chair Brendan Carr, a Republican named to the post by Trump, said last week the FCC is reviewing Paramount's proposed $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. The FCC did not make a decision by the 180-day informal deadline in mid-May.
Carr did not immediately comment Wednesday.
"Had Paramount chosen to fight this in court, they would have prevailed on the facts and the law," Gomez said.
She called for the FCC commissioners to vote on the deal rather than allow it to be approved by agency staff through delegated authority "given the extraordinary public interest in this deal, the novel legal questions raised by the lawsuit and its resolution, and the repeated calls from lawmakers for transparency."
In January, Carr reinstated complaints about the "60 Minutes" Harris interview, as well as complaints about how Walt Disney's (DIS.N), opens new tab ABC News moderated the pre-election televised debate between then-President Joe Biden and Trump and Comcast's (CMCSA.O), opens new tab NBC for allowing Harris to appear on "Saturday Night Live" shortly before the election.
In March, CBS and conservative advocacy groups asked the FCC to reject the news distortion complaint over the 60 Minutes Harris interview.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
17 minutes ago
- The Independent
CBS News anchor swipes at parent company for settling Trump lawsuit ‘it said is without basis in law and fact'
John Dickerson ended Wednesday's broadcast of CBS Evening News by subtly swiping at the network's corporate boss Paramount for shelling out $16 million to settle Donald Trump's lawsuit over a 60 Minutes interview, noting that the company itself said the president's case 'is without basis in law and fact.' The veteran anchor's commentary was even more pointed on the show he hosts for the network's streaming platform, as he noted that the settlement 'poses a new obstacle' for the network's journalists. 'Can you hold power to account after paying it millions? Can an audience trust you when it thinks you've traded away that trust?' Dickerson pondered. Journalists and free speech advocates have absolutely pilloried Paramount for capitulating to the media-bashing president in a case that legal experts described as frivolous and the network's own lawyers said was completely without merit, warning that it sets an increasingly dangerous precedent. 'Behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated,' the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression stated. 'This settlement will only embolden the president to continue his flurry of baseless lawsuits against the press — and against the American people's ability to hear the news free from government intrusion.' Beyond that, the company is facing the threat of civil litigation and congressional probes over allegations that it violated anti-bribery statutes, as Paramount needs the Trump administration to approve its massive $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. Paramount, for its part, has insisted that the lawsuit is 'completely separate from, and unrelated to' the transaction and the FCC approval process. At the end of Wednesday's telecast of CBS Evening News, Dickerson delivered a fairly straightforward recap of the settlement and what led up to it, which was the editing of a 60 Minutes interview with then-Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris just ahead of the 2024 election. 'Under the terms of the settlement worked out with a mediator, Paramount will pay $16 million to cover Mr. Trump's legal costs. Whatever's left will go to his presidential library. No money will be paid directly to the president,' Dickerson noted. 'The settlement does not require an apology or expression of regret for the editing of the interview, which was done in accordance with long-held CBS News standards and widely accepted journalistic practices.' The news host also pointed out that despite Trump's allegations that CBS ran a different portion of Harris' answer to a question during a Face the Nation promotional clip to make her look better, the network has repeatedly denied this. Additionally, Dickerson explained that the 60 Minutes transcript revealed that the president falsely claimed the network had pulled a response from another question asked of Harris and 'deceptively edited' it in. After telling viewers that a senior Paramount executive told shareholders this week that the corporation only settled to avoid what he called the 'high and somewhat unpredictable costs of legal defense, Dickerson brought up that this took place as the company is looking to close the Skydance merger. 'That deal needs Trump administration approval,' he concluded. 'The corporation said the settlement of the Trump lawsuit is completely separate from and unrelated to the merger. In the end, Paramount decided to settle a suit it said is without basis in law and fact and an affront to the First Amendment.' Over on CBS Evening News Plus, which airs on Paramount's streamers, Dickerson was even less sparing in his criticism of the network's corporate overlords. 'We pride ourselves on our BS detector, so it ought to work on ourselves, too. When it doesn't, the stakes are real, a loss of public trust, the spread of misinformation,' he said in a monologue focused on Paramount's payoff to the president. 'A visitor to our newsrooms might wonder why we debate a single word for so long, why it takes hours to answer the simple question, what is this story about, why there's a cry of frustration when a detail is off by an inch,' Dickerson continued. 'That is what it looks like when it is deeply felt, when the audience's concerns become ours, passed by bucket brigade from the subjects of our stories to correspondents, to producers, to editors, fact-checkers, and writers.' Noting that the 'obstacles to getting it right are many,' he then declared that the settlement 'poses a new obstacle' before asking: 'Can you hold power to account after paying it millions? Can an audience trust you when it thinks you've traded away that trust?' In the end, he pointed out, 'the audience will decide that' and that job of CBS News' journalists is 'to show up' and 'honor what we witness on behalf of the people we witness it for.' The conglomerate, which is hoping to complete its merger later this month, could soon be staring down lawsuits and investigations over claims that it 'bribed' the president in order to push the Skydance deal through. 'Today is a dark day for press freedom. Paramount's spineless decision to settle Trump's baseless and patently unconstitutional lawsuit is an insult to the journalists of '60 Minutes' and an invitation to Trump to continue targeting other news outlets,' Freedom of the Press Foundation said in a statement. The advocacy group is also gearing up to pursue legal action on behalf of shareholders to 'stop this affront' and hold the company's board accountable. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who had warned Paramount in May that a settlement could potentially violate laws against bribery, promised to challenge the settlement in both Congress and the courts. 'This looks like bribery in plain sight,' Warren said on Wednesday. 'Paramount folded at the same time it needs Trump's approval for a billion-dollar merger. I'm calling for an investigation into whether any anti-bribery laws were broken, and I'm working on a new bill to rein in this kind of corruption.' Meanwhile, CBS News staffers past and present are expressing despair and fear over what the settlement means for the once-revered network and its newsmagazine, which has already lost two respected newsroom leaders due to tensions surrounding the company's handling of the lawsuit. 'No one is a fan of Shari right now,' one network staffer told The Independent, referencing Paramount chair Shari Redstone, who was the driving force behind the decision to settle. 'People are still angry and frustrated and morale is very low.' Former CBS News correspondent Armen Keteyian called the settlement 'the nadir for the network' and 'a breach of the public trust Murrow, Cronkite, Hewitt and thousands of us worked decades to build.'
The Guardian
22 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Putin insisted Russia ‘will not step back from goals' in Ukraine in hour-long call to Trump, Kremlin says
Update: Date: 2025-07-03T17:39:57.000Z Title: first lines from a senior Kremlin Content: Russian and US leaders spoke about need for 'negotiated solution' in Ukraine, Kremlin says Lucy Campbell (now); Jakub Krupa (earlier) Thu 3 Jul 2025 19.39 CEST First published on Thu 3 Jul 2025 09.43 CEST From 6.22pm CEST 18:22 We are getting aide Yuri Ushakov on the Trump-Putin call. As per Reuters, he told reporters: The pair spoke for nearly an hour, stating their intention to 'seek a negotiated solution' on Ukraine and Trump 'raising issue of bringing Ukraine conflict to swift halt.' But Putin insisted that Russia 'will achieve its goal of removing root issues that led to Ukraine conflict' and 'will not step back from its goals.' Russia's position is 'that Ukraine peace talks are between Moscow and Kyiv' Putin and Trump did not talk about halting of some US weapons deliveries to Ukraine. They also had 'a detailed discussion' on Iran and the Middle East. The leaders agreed they would continue discussions going forward. Updated at 6.23pm CEST 7.39pm CEST 19:39 Kremlin aid Yuri Ushakov also said that while Russia was open to continuing to speak with the US, any peace negotiations needed to occur between Moscow and Kyiv. That comment comes amid some indications that Moscow is trying to avoid a trilateral format for any peace negotiations. The Russians asked American diplomats to leave the room during such a meeting in Istanbul in early June, Ukrainian officials have said. Trump and Putin did not talk about a face-to-face meeting, Ushakov added. 7.25pm CEST 19:25 On Iran, Yuri Ushakov said: The Russian side emphasised the importance of resolving all disputes, disagreements and conflict situations exclusively by political and diplomatic means. Trump last month sent US military bombers to strike three Iranian nuclear sites, in a move condemned by Moscow as unprovoked and illegal. 7.21pm CEST 19:21 Here's more detail on the call between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump which, from the Russian side, suggests that Putin did not make any shift in Moscow's position during the conversation with the US president. As we reported earlier, a Kremlin aide said Moscow wants a negotiated end to the Ukraine war but will not step back from its original goals. In the wide-ranging conversation, Trump 'again raised the issue of an early end to military action' in Ukraine, Yuri Ushakov told reporters, adding: Vladimir Putin, for his part, noted that we continue to seek a political and negotiated solution to the conflict. Putin briefed Trump on the implementation of agreements reached between Russia and Ukraine last month to exchange prisoners-of-war and dead soldiers, Ushakov said, and told him that Moscow was ready to continue negotiations with Kyiv. He went on: Our president also said that Russia will achieve the goals it has set: that is, the elimination of the well-known root causes that led to the current state of affairs, to the current acute confrontation, and Russia will not back down from these goals. The phrase 'root causes' is shorthand for the Kremlin's argument that it was compelled to go to war in Ukraine to prevent the country from joining Nato and being used by the western alliance as a launch pad to attack Russia. Updated at 7.29pm CEST 7.01pm CEST 19:01 Jakub Krupa We are still waiting to hear from Donald Trump on his call with Putin. But be assured that we will bring you the US view on the phone call when we have it. That's all from me for today, but Lucy Campbell will guide you through the evening. Updated at 7.02pm CEST 6.58pm CEST 18:58 Separately, French president Emmanuel Macron said he wanted a EU-US trade deal 'as soon as possible, with the lowest tariffs possible', as a Washington-set deadline looms to reach an accord, AFP reported. 'The right deal for me is the deal that is struck as soon as possible, with the lowest tariffs possible, and that must be fair and firm,' Macron said. His comments come as the EU's trade chief, Maroš Šefčovič, is in Washington DC for talks with the US administration amid hopes that a framework deal can be struck ahead of the next week's deadline to avoid punishing tariffs (17:27 and 17:59). Updated at 7.00pm CEST 6.54pm CEST 18:54 We now have more details on the stabbing in Tampere, Finland (16:23, 17:43), with police confirming that four people were injured in the attack. They added that there were no fatalities, and investigators believe there is no reason to suspect 'a terrorist or racist motive.' 6.22pm CEST 18:22 We are getting aide Yuri Ushakov on the Trump-Putin call. As per Reuters, he told reporters: The pair spoke for nearly an hour, stating their intention to 'seek a negotiated solution' on Ukraine and Trump 'raising issue of bringing Ukraine conflict to swift halt.' But Putin insisted that Russia 'will achieve its goal of removing root issues that led to Ukraine conflict' and 'will not step back from its goals.' Russia's position is 'that Ukraine peace talks are between Moscow and Kyiv' Putin and Trump did not talk about halting of some US weapons deliveries to Ukraine. They also had 'a detailed discussion' on Iran and the Middle East. The leaders agreed they would continue discussions going forward. Updated at 6.23pm CEST 5.59pm CEST 17:59 We are still waiting to get any updates on the Trump-Putin call, but in the meantime the US secretary of treasury Scott Bessent offered a rather cryptic answer on the progress of talks with the EU saying 'we will see what we can do,' Reuters reported. As you know, EU's trade chief Maroš Šefčovič is in Washington tonight, with the bloc hoping they could get a high-level deal in place to avoid 50% tariffs on all exports from next week (17:27). 5.56pm CEST 17:56 Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo A day after the food delivery platform Glovo introduced financial bonuses for couriers working in high temperatures, the company announced on Thursday it was suspending the initiative following criticism from unions and politicians. Glovo had offered a 2% bonus for deliveries made in temperatures between 32°C and 36°C, 4% between 36°C and 40°C, and 8% for temperatures above 40°C — a move that sparked a backlash in Italy. Union leaders and politicians condemned the scheme, warning it risked turning 'a health hazard into an economic incentive', and insisted that 'no compensation can justify working under extreme risk conditions'. On Thursday, the platform said it had 'decided to temporarily suspend nationwide the bonus system for deliveries carried out during the hottest hours of the day'. Responding to the controversy, Glovo issued a statement: 'The bonus is not an incentive to work. Riders are fully free to choose. The current collaboration model guarantees each rider maximum freedom to decide when and how to work, even in challenging weather conditions. In this context, the so-called bonus during periods of extreme heat is intended as a compensatory measure and in no way represents an incentive to work. The bonus is activated automatically once certain temperature thresholds are exceeded.' 5.43pm CEST 17:43 Jakub Krupa I have earlier promised you I would keep an eye on the developments in Finland, where police reported that several people were stabbed near a shopping centre in Tampere. The latest update from the emergency services is that they cordoned off the scene of the incident and are interviewing witnesses. But the Finnish Broadcasting Company, of Yle, says there is still little clarity as to how many people were wounded in the attack and the extent of their injuries. I will let you know if or when we know more. 5.39pm CEST 17:39 Angela Giuffrida in Rome Lauren Sánchez packed 27 designer dresses for her wedding to the billionaire Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, in Venice last week, but left with only 26 after one went missing. The couple, who are now honeymooning in Taormina, Sicily, were wed during a star-studded three-day celebration in the lagoon city. They left Venice on Sunday, but mystery over the missing dress has generated chatter in Venice, with Corriere della Sera claiming that it was stolen, possibly by someone who evaded security and gatecrashed a party on the tiny island of San Giorgio, where the couple exchanged rings, on Friday. The newspaper said the number of gatecrashers to the event was such that officers from the local unit of Italy's anti-terrorism squad, Digos, were called to the island. Sources familiar with the situation confirmed that a dress had gone missing but denied it was stolen. It is unclear where the dress disappeared and when. The couple lodged at the seven-star Aman hotel, where the bride's wedding outfits were reportedly kept under close watch. The sources stressed that no legal complaint about the missing dress had been made to police, with the expectation being that the garment would eventually 'turn up'. They also denied the report that a dress caught fire and that the celebrations had been infiltrated by gatecrashers. 5.37pm CEST 17:37 Jakub Krupa … and on a slightly lighter note … 5.36pm CEST 17:36 Serbian police detained 79 protesters late on Wednesday in a crackdown on street demonstrators calling for a snap election and an end of the 12-year rule of the President Aleksandar Vučić and his Serbian Progressive Party, Reuters reported. Police and protesters clashed in the capital Belgrade and the cities of Novi Sad, Niš and Novi Pazar, the interior ministry said in the statement. On Wednesday evening, police moved to remove students in front of the entrance of the Law Faculty in Belgrade, and briefly detained dozens, N1 TV reported. On Thursday, the European Union strongly condemned 'acts of hatred and violence' in Serbia and called for calm, AFP said. 'We strongly condemn all acts of hate and violence. The rights of peaceful demonstration, freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are to be upheld,' the EU delegation in Serbia posted on X. The statement said, 'police action must be proportionate and respect fundamental rights.' Agencies are also noting that tennis superstar Novak Djoković pumped his arms when celebrating a win over Dan Evans at Wimbledon – a gesture that has become a symbol of the protests. 5.30pm CEST 17:30 Jon Henley Europe correspondent and Angela Giuffrida in Rome A wildfire fanned by gale-force winds has forced the evacuation of more than 1,500 people on the Greek island of Crete, officials have said, as large swathes of continental Europe baked in a punishing early summer heatwave linked to at least nine deaths. About 230 firefighters, along with 46 vehicles and helicopters, were battling the blaze on Thursday after it broke out 24 hours earlier near Ierapetra on the south-east coast of the country's largest island, threatening to engulf houses and hotels. A fire brigade spokesperson, Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, said: 'There are wind gusts in the area, some measuring 9 on the Beaufort scale, triggering rekindling and hindering firefighting efforts.' He added that four settlements had been evacuated. Residents and tourists were taking shelter at an indoor stadium and some had left Crete by boat, authorities said. Local media reported some homes had been damaged. An estimated 5,000 more holidaymakers left south-east Crete independently.
Daily Mirror
23 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Trump sent chilling warning by Putin over Russia's invasion of Ukraine
The world leaders spoke on the phone for the sixth time since Trump's return to presidency as the topics of Ukraine and Iran were high up on the agenda US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone today in their sixth publicly disclosed chat since the former returned to the White House, the Kremlin announced. They spoke about the ongoing conflict in Iran and Israel as Putin emphasised the need to resolve all issues by political and diplomatic means, according to his foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov. The US hit three sites in Iran on June 22, in what Trump called a "very successful" operation aimed at destroying Tehran's nuclear program. On the conflict in Ukraine, Ushakov said Trump spoke about his need for a quick halt to the fighting, while Putin voiced Moscow's readiness to pursue talks with Kyiv. At the same time, the Russian leader issued a chilling warning to Trump. He said that Moscow will seek to achieve its goals in Ukraine and remove the "root causes" of the conflict. Putin has argued he sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to fend off a threat to Russia posed by Ukraine's push to join NATO and protect Russian speakers in Ukraine - arguments rejected by Kyiv and its allies. He insisted that any prospective peace deal must see Ukraine abandon its NATO bid and recognize Russia's territorial gains. Thursday's call follows the Pentagon's confirmation that it's pausing shipment of some weapons to Ukraine as it reviews US military stockpiles. The weapons being held up for Ukraine include air defense missiles, precision-guided artillery and other equipment. The details on the weapons in some of the paused deliveries were confirmed by a US official and former national security official familiar with the matter. They both requested anonymity to discuss what is being held up as the Pentagon has yet to provide details. Ushakov said a suspension of some US weapons shipments to Ukraine wasn't discussed in the Trump-Putin call. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in Denmark after meeting with major European Union backers that he may talk to Trump in the coming days about the suspension of US weapons deliveries. "I hope that maybe tomorrow, or close days, these days, I will speak about it with President Trump," he said. Asked about his expectations from the Trump-Putin call, he said that "I'm not sure that they have a lot of common ideas, common topics to talk (about), because they are very different people." The previous publicly known call between Trump and Putin came June 14, a day after Israel attacked Iran. The resumed contacts between Trump and Putin appeared to reflect both leaders' interest in mending US-Russian ties that have plummeted to their lowest point since the Cold War amid the conflict in Ukraine. On Tuesday, Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron held their first direct telephone call in almost three years.
