Today In Free Speech: Somebody's Getting A Lot Of Speech, Free

I B.M. when I See Bee Ess.Good thing there's a Second Amendment when the First is ignored & discarded.🔫

Some may remember when CBS was known as the "Tiffany network". Haw haw haw. That sound you hear is Edward R. Murrow spinning like a dervish in his grave.

Plenty of outrage here, but not a damn thing will change.

FDominic Patten / Deadline:

Trump tells reporters, “We did a deal for about $16M plus $16M, or maybe more than that in advertising” with CBS, which denies PSAs were part of the settlement  —  Someone's playing fast and loose with the real numbers, and, for once, it may not be Donald Trump …

Michael Schneider / Variety:   Dan Rather on Paramount's $16 Million Trump Settlement: ‘It Was a Sell-Out to Extortion by the President’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Curtis Houck / Newsbusters:   Oliver Darcy Paints Hilariously Dark, ‘Teary-Eyed’ Mood at CBS Over Trump Settlement

Anna Betts / The Guardian:   Former CBS anchor slams Paramount settlement with Trump: ‘It was a sellout’

Jeremy Barr / @jeremymbarr:   So Trump is casually saying he agreed to do a different, larger deal than the one Paramount agreed to and announced https://www.mediaite.com/... [image]

Tommy Christopher / Mediaite:   Trump Confronted by Reporter Over Bombshell Paramount Deal After Rally

@allowat3.bsky.social:   The Paramount lawsuit settlement includes free ads.

Christopher Grimes / Financial Times:   Paramount agrees $16mn settlement in Donald Trump's lawsuit against CBS News

Casey Loving / The Wrap:   CBS' John Dickerson Says Trump Settlement Jeopardizes Network Holding ‘Power to Account After Paying It Millions’ | Video

Fox News:   Ex-CBS anchor Dan Rather laments Paramount settlement with Trump as ‘sad day for journalism’

Karl Bode / Techdirt:   Institutional Failure: CBS Wimps Out, Pays Trump $16 Million Bribe To Settle Baseless Lawsuit

Chris Brennan / USA Today:   Paramount's shameful CBS settlement with Trump deserves congressional scrutiny

Raechal Shewfelt / Entertainment Weekly:   Former CBS anchor Dan Rather calls Paramount's $16 million deal with Trump ‘a sell-out to extortion’

David Zimmermann / Washington Examiner:   Sanders rips Paramount's $16 million settlement with Trump: ‘Dark day for freedom of the press’

Bradley Cortright / New York Sun:   CBS Chief Tells Shareholders $16 Million Settlement With Trump Struck Over ‘60 Minutes’ Was To Avoid Financial and ‘Reputational’ Harm

Jason Hall / iHeartCountry Radio:   CBS, Paramount Reaches Massive Settlement With Trump

Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica:   Paramount accused of bribery as it settles Trump lawsuit for $16 million

NewsHound Ellen / Crooks and Liars:   Paramount Caves, Pays $16M Bribe To Trump Over Bogus CBS Lawsuit

Julian Clover / Broadband TV News:   CBS owner settles with Trump for $16 million

Matthew Xiao / The Washington Free Beacon:   Paramount, CBS Reach Settlement With Trump That Could Top $30 Mil

Shubhangi Chowdhury / The American Bazaar:   Paramount settles with Trump for $16 million

Ben Remaly / Global Competition Review:   Democrats warn of “bribery” as CBS settles Trump's unfair competition suit

Erik Gruenwedel / Media Play News:   Paramount Co-CEO Says Trump Settlement Avoids Ongoing ‘Uncertainty and Distraction’

Jeremy Kay / Screen:   Paramount Global settles Trump CBS lawsuit for $16m, issues no apology

Tyler Durden / ZeroHedge News:   Paramount Settles Trump's ‘60 Minutes’ Lawsuit With $16M Payment - No Apology Issued

Radio & Television Business Report:   Paramount Settles Its Trump Lawsuit With $16 Million Bill

Bangor Daily News:   Paramount will pay $16 million in settlement with Trump over ‘60 Minutes’ interview

Ari Hoffman / The Post Millennial:   CBS, Paramount to pay Trump $16 MILLION over Kamala's edited 60 Minutes interview

Meg James / Los Angeles Times:

Paramount faces a backlash for settling with Trump; Democrat FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez says it “marks a dangerous precedent for the First Amendment”  —  - Journalists and others said the payoff will embolden attacks by Trump and his allies on news outlets.

Freedom of the Press Foundation:   Legendary First Amendment lawyers slam Paramount-Trump settlement

Anna M. Gomez / @agomezfcc:   The transcript and video of the 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Harris show no evidence of wrongdoing, only the standard editorial judgments to ensure clarity and brevity. Had Paramount chosen to fight this in court, they would have prevailed on the facts and the law.

Anna M. Gomez / @agomezfcc:   This Paramount Payout is a desperate move to appease the Administration. Approving this transaction behind closed doors would be a shameful outcome that denies the American people the transparency and accountability they deserve, especially when press freedom is at stake.

Anna M. Gomez / @agomezfcc:   This moment marks a dangerous precedent for the First Amendment, and it should alarm anyone who values a free and independent press.

Anna M. Gomez / @agomezfcc:   Instead of standing on principle, Paramount opted for a payout. That decision now casts a long shadow over the integrity of the transaction pending before the FCC. I once again urge the FCC to bring this matter before the full Commission for a vote. 🧵 [image]

Matthew Xiao / The Washington Free Beacon:   CBS Journalists Rage at Parent Company's ‘Betrayal’ in Settling Trump Lawsuit

Matt Margolis / PJ Media:   Legacy Media Has Huge Meltdown at Trump's Victory Over CBS

Michelle Stein / TV Insider:   Dan Rather Issues Blunt Response to Paramount Settling Donald Trump Lawsuit

Matt Vespa / Townhall:   Trump Clinches a Massive Win Over the Fake News Media...and CNN Melts Down

David Folkenflik / NPR:   CBS is the latest news giant to bend to Trump's power

Sara Fischer / Axios:   Media's death by a thousand cuts

@knightcolumbia.org:   “Today is a sad day for press freedom. ...  Paramount should have fought this extortionate lawsuit in court, and it would have prevailed.”  See our statement from @jameeljaffer.bsky.social following Paramount's announcement that it has agreed to settle with Trump. knightcolumbia.org/content/para...

Dawn Chmielewski / Reuters:   Trump settlement triggers ‘widespread distress’ at CBS News

Mara Siegler / Page Six:   Paramount insiders shocked over reported ‘side deal’ with Trump in ‘60 Minutes’ settlement

Emma Keates / The A.V. Club:   Paramount gives Trump $16 million, no apology

Natalie Korach / Vanity Fair:   “No One Is Happy About It.” CBS Staffers Were Tired of the Paramount Drama, but the Settlement Intensifies Media-Capitulation Concerns

Bradley Cortright / New York Sun:   Paramount Promised Trump It Would Air Millions of Dollars in Free Advertising for Conservative Causes as Part of ‘60 Minutes’ Settlement: Reports

Alexandra Steigrad / New York Post:   Paramount CEO claims Trump legal settlement avoided ‘reputational damage’ — but insiders cry BS: ‘Can spin it any way he wants’

Nicole Markus / Politico:   First Amendment advocates decry settlement in ‘60 Minutes’ lawsuit

James Morley III / NewsMax.com:   Dems Promise Bribery Charges Over Paramount Settlement

Edward Klaris / Edward Klaris on LinkedIn:   Paramount's $16 million settlement with Donald Trump regarding CBS's “60 Minutes” election coverage raises concerns for press freedom and newsroom independence. …

Jennifer Graham / Deseret News:   Another $16 million for the Trump presidential library: Unpacking the Paramount settlement

Kayla Cobb / The Wrap:   Paramount Says Trump Settlement Doesn't Include PSAs

New York Times:   For ‘60 Minutes,’ a Humbling Moment at an Uneasy Time for Press Freedom

David Knox / TV Tonight:   Paramount settles Trump lawsuit for $16m

Dominick Mastrangelo / The Hill:   Paramount bends to Trump: 5 takeaways on ‘60 Minutes’ settlement

Meg James / @megjames.bsky.social:   Paramount's $16-million settlement with President Trump “will be remembered as one of the most shameful capitulations by the press to a president in history,” - @seth-stern.bsky.social director of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation. @latimes.com www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Stephen L. Carter / Bloomberg:   The Outrageous Paramount Settlement Has One Upside

Todd Spangler / Variety:   Sen. Warren Wants an Investigation Into Paramount's $16 Million Trump Settlement: ‘This Could Be Bribery in Plain Sight’

CNN:   CBS pays the price

Jake Johnson / Truthout:   Press Freedom Advocates Slam Paramount for Caving to Trump in $16M Settlement

Eric Fisher / Front Office Sports:   Paramount Settles Trump Suit Ahead of NFL Season, Skydance Merger

Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:   Elizabeth Warren Calls for Bribery Investigation Into Paramount-Trump Settlement as Blowback Widens

Mark Mwachiro / Adweek:   Paramount Global and Donald Trump Settle for $16 Million

Ted Johnson / Deadline:   CBS News Staffers React To Paramount Settlement Of Trump's Lawsuit: John Dickerson Says, “Can You Hold Power To Account After Paying It Millions?” — Update

Amy Kristin Sanders / @amykristinsanders.bsky.social:   CBS just sold out journalism and democracy in the name of corporate profit.  —  Every news organization in the country better prepare for news distortion lawsuits to flood in.

Drew Lerner / Awful Announcing:   Paramount reaches settlement with Trump admin, opens door for Skydance merger

Raw Story:   ‘Spineless capitulation’: Massive backlash hits ‘60 Minutes’ deal with Trump

Wall Street Journal:

Source: President Trump's team expects Paramount to make an eight-figure “allocation” for ads, PSAs, and other broadcasts that support conservative causes  —  Concerns about bribery allegations, angry CBS News staff and a looming high-stakes merger made for tense monthslong negotiations

Martin Holmes / TV Insider:   Donald Trump Makes a Bold Claim About Paramount Lawsuit Settlement

Todd Spangler / Variety:   Trump Claims ‘60 Minutes’ Settlement Is Worth as Much as $35 Million Including ‘Advertising’; Paramount Denies Deal Includes PSAs

Erik De La Garza / Raw Story:   CBS News anchor delivers blistering takedown as company caves to Trump

Michael Nied / People:   CBS News Legend Dan Rather Blasts Paramount for $16 Million ‘Sell-Out’ to Donald Trump: ‘Sad Day for Journalism’

AJ Dellinger / Gizmodo:   Trump Expects Paramount to Run Conservative PSAs Following Hush Money Payments

Charles Gasparino / New York Post:   How secret ‘side deal’ helped seal Paramount's $16M settlement with Trump — and here's who deserves the credit

Michael Derby / @michaelsderby.bsky.social:   Another ominous development from Paramount's very controversial lawsuit settlement with Trump.  [embedded post]

Charles P. Pierce / Esquire:   Cowardly Paramount Just Waved the White Flag at Trump and Threw ‘60 Minutes’ Under the Bus

Is Shari Redstone the worst person in the world today?