CNN employees say losing a high-profile defamation lawsuit this week may have been expected within the network, but that didn't stop them from making their mark.
“It's bad to be held accountable for defamation and fraud,” the employee said candidly in a message to Fox News Digital.
Navy veteran Zachary Young successfully claims CNN defamed him by suggesting he illegally profited from helping people escape from Afghanistan on the “black market” during the Afghanistan war. did. Biden administration's Young said in a Nov. 11, 2021 report first aired on CNN's “The Read with Jake Tapper,” in which CNN called him a profiteer who exploited “desperate Afghans.” He believes it has “ruined his reputation and his business.” . ”
After a chaotic two-week trial in Florida, a jury awarded Young $4 million in lost profits and $1 million in personal injury damages, as well as punitive damages against CNN. The court ruled that damages were justified. CNN and Young reached a settlement before a jury could reach a verdict on the latter amount.
Zachary Young won his lawsuit against CNN, speaking to FOX News Digital. (Joseph A. Wolfthorne/Fox News Digital, Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Jury finds CNN defamed veteran, settles settlement with punitive damages
Afterward, Young said she felt “vindicated.”
“It's been a long three years. It's an incredible feeling to have the outcome we wanted, which is public vindication. I'm glad it's over and I don't know if there are any more years left in the discussion.” “You don't have to spend time talking about what that word means,'' Young said. fox news digital on friday.
Initially receiving little media coverage, the case gained mainstream media attention as the trial concluded, and Friday's verdict was widely reported. CNN's own media department provided minimal coverage of the incident. Media Correspondent Hadas Gold Published a short article Chief media analyst Brian Stelter briefly mentioned the outcome in Saturday's Trusted Source Newsletter, in addition to the blurb at the beginning of the Jan. 6 trial. CNN did not report on the ruling, according to a Gravure investigation. Jury decisions in litigation or on-air.
During the trial, Young's lawyers revealed internal CNN messages obtained through discovery that repeatedly showed staffers expressing hostility toward the Navy veteran.
Among the opinions presented to the jury were some who called him a “sack” and “an a-hole” and others who said he looked “like he could get punched”. It also became clear that alex marquardtThe CNN correspondent who led the on-air coverage told colleagues, “We're going to nail this Zachary Young player,” and was quoted multiple times during the incident, saying the report “is going to be your funeral.” Ta. Bucco,” he said, referring to Young in an exchange with a colleague.
A CNN spokesperson said the network would learn “useful lessons” from the incident.
CNN reporter Katie Bo Lillis came under fire on the stand over messages she sent to the plaintiff in the case, US Navy veteran Zachary Young. Young won a defamation lawsuit against the network this week. (FOX News Digital/Law and Crime; Jessica Costescu)
Plaintiff in CNN defamation case celebrates 'vindication' following court drama: 'I'm glad it's over'
CNN said in a statement following the settlement: “While we are proud of our journalists and are 100% committed to strong, fearless and fair-minded reporting at CNN, there are of course valuable lessons to be learned from this case. I'm going to get it,” he said.
CNN employees told FOX News Digital that they do not believe the problems with CNN's journalism caused by this article reflect cultural issues within the company.
“The message was terrible… but we don't believe this is a network-wide cultural issue,” they said. “To me, it seemed like an overzealous reporter. Someone who believes something to be true and just puts information together in that context…finds information to support it and then criticizes their conclusions.” I didn't really consider it.”
They say this comes at a time of low morale for the network, which is plagued by low ratings and reportedly has pending layoffs, and that they support this flag internally. He added that there did not appear to be any “mobilization.”
In response to CNN's report on its financial health, a spokesperson said that the company's financial position is “very healthy” and said: report It shows parent company Warner Bros. Discovery has invested more than $70 million in Digital Pivot.
Another CNN official told FOX News Digital that the private messages discovered were “horrible.”
Plaintiff Zachary Young claims CNN defamed him by implying that the Biden administration made illegal profits by providing “black market” aid to displaced Afghans during the 2021 military withdrawal from Afghanistan. , won the lawsuit. (CNN/Screenshot)
CNN defamation trial: Editor who said the article was “full of holes like Swiss cheese'' takes the stand to testify
At another point in the trial, CNN senior national security editor Thomas Lumley was slammed after internal messages showed he was highly skeptical of the “highly flawed” report. Mr Lumley was called as a witness after receiving an internal message saying he felt the report was “full of holes like Swiss cheese”.
Katie Beau Lillis, another reporter involved in the story, admitted she didn't think about how much of an impact the corner would have on Young. The plaintiff said it had damaged his reputation and had a dramatic effect on his personal life, leaving him depressed and eviscerated.
Several CNN officials also testified that they disagreed with the network's decision to apologize in 2022 for suggesting Young was operating on a “black market.”
“CNN journalists’ disastrous performance on the witness stand…highlights the influence of Young v. CNN,” The Washington Post Eric Wemple wrote. “They stumble in cross-examination, fail to defend important language choices, and in some cases, as in the case of Lilith, appear ignorant of the impact of their large network reaching more than 70 million U.S. households. It looked like.”
“It's clear that despite CNN's many layers of editorial staff, its inability to perform basic journalistic functions and between overpaid arrogant TV stars playing journalists and cowardly editors. They should be deeply ashamed of their inability to overcome such dysfunction,” said a former CNN staffer who still works in the industry. Fox News Digital.
US Navy veteran Zachary Young wept on the witness stand during his defamation trial against CNN. (Jessica Costescu)
After the incident, Young told Fox News Digital that he had no animosity toward the network, but that he hoped CNN and other media organizations would learn from the experience.
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“I hope they take this as an opportunity to look in the mirror and realize there's room for change and improvement. If that's the result on CNN, maybe other members of the media will see it too. 'That's a positive thing,' he said.
