The Federal Communications Commission has requested that CBS-parent Paramount Global turn over footage and transcripts from a “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris — as part of its review of the company’s planned merger with Skydance Media, according to a report Friday.
CBS News said it is working to comply with the FCC’s request for the “full, unedited transcript and camera feeds from our interview with Vice President Harris which aired on October 7, 2024,” according to a statement given to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the news.
Reps for the network did not respond to inquiries on when it intends to hand over the material.
The infamous interview led Donald Trump to file a $10 billion lawsuit, alleging the Tiffany Network “deceptively” edited the sit-down to make his presidential opponent look better just before the election.
Previously, CBS had said it aired a more succinct version of Harris’ answer to a question about Israel on “60 Minutes” than the one shown during a promo on “Face the Nation” the day before — and called the allegations meritless.
But Trump-appointed FCC chairman Brendan Carr has made it clear in recent weeks about wanting to see the unedited transcripts ahead of the agency’s review of Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance.
The FCC can throw a wrench into the deal because it involves the transfer of broadcast television licenses held by CBS local stations.
Carr has been vocal about examining accusations of bias by legacy media and that it could impact the deal.
In an interview in November, he cited a news-distortion lawsuit against CBS filed by the Center for American Rights as an element he would consider.
The FCC’s involvement comes after reports that Paramount is in talks to settle Trump’s lawsuit, which has led to anger at CBS among the rank-and-file. Staffers are fuming that a payout could have negative ramifications for press freedom. Legal experts have also dismissed the lawsuit as baseless.
Nevertheless, Shari Redstone, the 70-year-old daughter of the late media mogul Sumner Redstone, is believed to be eager to put the legal saga behind her in order to boost the odds that Trump administration regulators will rubber-stamp the merger, according to the New York Times.
Redstone controls Paramount through her stake in National Amusements, which she plans to sell to Skydance for a reported $1.75 billion.
CBS’ possible capitulation in the lawsuit lodged by Trump would come after the Walt Disney Company reached a settlement over a defamation lawsuit in December related to comments made by ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, who incorrectly stated that Trump had been found liable for rape in the E. Jean Carroll case, rather than sexual assault.
To resolve the matter, Disney reportedly agreed to donate $15 million toward Trump’s presidential library and cover $1 million in legal fees.
Similarly, Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, settled a lawsuit with Trump after banning his accounts in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
The agreement included a $25 million payment, with $22 million earmarked for Trump’s future library.
