ABC News employees are voicing their disapproval of the network’s defamation settlement with President-Elect Donald Trump. The news network settled the $40 million lawsuit with Trump for $15 million. The payout was for George Stephanopoulos repeatedly stating on air Trump was liable for rape when it wasn’t true.
Here’s more details. (READ)
ABC News talent and staff I’ve been talking to over the past few hours are stunned and furious about this settlement.
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) December 15, 2024
Their anger primarily stems from the fact that they have faced repeated budget and compensation cuts in recent years, experienced layoffs, and yet the network —… https://t.co/m5RJCmR6Su
Given how ABC News and its ‘journalists’ have treated the President over the years, there wasn’t much sympathy among Trump supporters.
Posters say they have no one to blame but themselves.
Perhaps they could try reporting news instead of libeling people with a small army of lawyers on retainer...
— BlimpCo Omniversal (@Blimp_Co2) December 15, 2024
Hahaha, j/k, those stupid bastards will never learn.
And just think, if they could find a way to tell the truth for a change, they wouldn't be in this position to begin with. Try journalism...for a change. Cheers.
— OutragedPickle! (@OutragedPickle) December 15, 2024
Staffers are dumb in addition to being very partisan then. Would’ve ended the company if the public could see their internal emails via deposition/discovery, on top of a massive jury verdict
— Gregg Re (@gregg_re) December 15, 2024
The ABC News employees don’t seem to grasp what would’ve happened if the case had preceded. The network stood to lose multiple millions more if the case went to trial.
Posters lay out the details.
Would they have preferred ABC spend $15 million defending the suit and then have to give Trump $100 million?
— The Original Kamala (@KamalaGrapple) December 15, 2024
Idiots.
You’re right. ABC should have gone to court and lost 200 million to Trump. That would have been the far better option.
— 5% NaCl (Salty) (@TwoRulesOfWar) December 15, 2024
Or, you know, they could choose not to defame a dude with an army of lawyers in retainer.
Imagine how stunned they'd be if it wasn't settled and went to court. This is the least expensive scenario by far.
— Lily Bart's Manacle (@an_artfuldodger) December 15, 2024
ABC News's budget is dwindling because it's on life support (like all network news).
Several posters say the hits are going to keep coming for ABC News and all legacy media outlets.
Network news is dead. They’re lucky they have jobs even today. It’s coming to an end. They’re going to have far bigger things to complain about in the very near future once Disney, (like @wbd, is doing to @CNN and @comcast is doing to @MSNBC,) does to @ABC..
— Jon Nicosia (@NewsPolitics) December 15, 2024
They’ll be owned by a…
ABC News talent and staff should learn coding.
— Albert Latham (@albert1776) December 15, 2024
And fast.
Layoffs hit ABC News in October with 75 employees losing their jobs at the network and across several network-owned affiliate stations. The $15 million settlement by ABC News will go to President Trump’s presidential library.
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