As we reported, ABC News settled a defamation lawsuit with President-elect Donald Trump by agreeing to pay $15 million to his presidential library. The settlement also had ABC News express regret over false remarks that George Stephanopoulos made claiming Trump had been found civilly liable for rape.
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But the settlement had some in the media upset, like CNN’s Jim Acosta and Brian Stelter.
It was pretty funny to watch Acosta throw a fit about the “chilling effect” he thought this would have on the media.
“I have to ask you whether or not you think there’s just going to be a chilling effect on the news industry as just as he [Trump] is coming into office because of this. I mean, I suppose it’s almost a rhetorical question because the answer is yes,” Acosta said.
“The answer is yes,” Stelter replied. “Media lawyers are worried about this, they’re preparing for it.”
Acosta whined that there was “a lot of this bending the knee going on” and that it was “time for our industry to stand firm.”
Jim Acosta on ABC settling defamation suit with Trump:
“This is a time for our industry to stand firm and we’re going to have a very important job to do. And that’s not putting us on a pedestal…But we’re going to have a very important job to do, because Trump is not going to… pic.twitter.com/idhQKmy4hg— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) December 16, 2024
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“And we’re going to have a very important job to do — and that’s not putting us on a pedestal or anything like that — but we have a very important job to do because Trump is not going to change his ways when he gets back in the Oval Office,” Acosta continued. “He’s going to continue to say things that need to be fact checked. And you can’t have the news industry worrying about this sort of stuff when they’re just simply doing their jobs.”
“Well, if some bend the knee, others have to stand up straighter,” Stelter said. “But that broader concern about self-censorship is one that I know many viewers and readers are worried about. And ultimately, Jim, as you know, we work for them. We work for the viewers, not for anybody else.”
Now, that’s genuinely hilarious on so many levels. I find it funny that they’re so upset.
First, it’s ABC News who said something that wasn’t true here, not Trump. But Acosta is making it about Trump saying things?
Maybe when the media says things that aren’t true, that’s a problem? Maybe other media should be concerned about that and blasting that message rather than talking about “standing firm.” What are they “standing firm” or supporting? They have nothing to worry about unless they’re pushing false information. So why are they tossing a fit? That says more about them than they know. Are they upset they’re going to be held to the truth?
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Then their opinion of themselves is just funny — that’s not “putting us on a pedestal,” Acosta said. And Stelter claims they “work for the viewers.” Well, the viewers are turning you off, which is why CNN’s ratings are so bad.
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So maybe that’s a message to you guys regarding what Americans really think about you.
