According to the report, lawyers representing Paramount and Donald Trump agreed to introduce mediators to encourage debate about possible settlements in the president's ongoing $20 billion lawsuit.
The decision to bring in a third party illustrates the potential efforts by both parties to resolve the dispute outside of court; According to the New York Times.
The lawsuit filed by Trump accused the CBS show of “60 minutes,” a seemingly compiled interview with then-President Kamala Harris.
CBS denied that there was something creepy in the editing process. The post is being asked for comment from Paramount and the White House.
Trump's lawyer, Ed Palzik, told The Times: “President Trump will pursue this important issue to a legitimate and legitimate conclusion.”
The lawsuit was first filed in the days leading up to the 2024 presidential election. Trump later revised the lawsuit, allowing Paramount to be included as defendant, expanding the scope of the legal battle.
The settlement debate between CBS parent company Paramount and Trump began earlier this year.
However, reports of these negotiations have sparked internal friction within Paramount, especially among CBS News employees who have expressed strong opposition to all forms of settlement.
“60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens told staff he had no intention of apologizing as part of a potential agreement.
In December, ABC News and anchor George Stefanopouros reached a settlement with Trump and agreed to pay $15 million for Trump's future presidential library And an additional $1 million to cover his legal costs.
The settlement also included a public apology from ABC News and Stefanopoulos for inaccurate statements made during the broadcast.
Sources told the Post that Stephanopulos was strongly and strongly forced by parent company Disney to attach his name to the apology.
Trump's lawsuit against Paramount also casts uncertainty about the company's pending merger with SkyDance Media.
The deal, which shifts control from the Redstone family to Ellison and his son David, faces regulatory scrutiny and legal hurdles. A resolution in the suit, or lack thereof, may affect the progress of the merger.
Paramount executives reportedly believe reaching a resolution with Trump will reduce the risk of regulatory interference with Skydance's merger.
Others worry that failure to resolve could lead to shareholder lawsuits, especially if Trump secures a major financial victory in court.
Some within Paramount are concerned about the broader implications of the settlement. According to the Times, Paramount executives fear that a deal with Trump could pose legal liability beyond the scope of standard corporate insurance coverage.
A recent federal court filing in Texas outlined the next steps in the case, requiring that the parties engage in mediation by December 20th. If they do not select a mediator for each other, the court will be appointed at least 14 days before the deadline.
CBS claims that the “60-minute” interview is not manipulated.
The company provided the full transcript of Harris' interview to the Federal Communications Commission, which was later published.
In a statement posted to the website, CBS News alleged that the released transcript confirmed that the broadcast was “not a doctor or deceived.”
