How media outlets are bracing for more Trump lawsuits

ABC News’s settlement with Trump provokes backlash — and concern

Over the weekend, ABC News announced it was settling a defamation lawsuit with President-elect Donald Trump and donating $15 million to a future presidential foundation tied to a library or museum. Trump had alleged that ABC News host George Stephanopoulos defamed him by saying he was found liable for rape when he was actually found liable for sexual abuse, reported Michael M. Grynbaum and Alan Feuer in the New York Times. 

Many media commentators criticized ABC for the decision to settle. “ABC News should never have caved,” wrote Margaret Sullivan in her Substack newsletter American Crisis. “ABC News will never live down this capitulation. Never,” declared Washington Post media critic Erik Wemple. First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams told CNN that for Trump to receive “an amount of this magnitude in settlement is disturbing.” 

It’s likely that Trump will continue to target news organizations with lawsuits. He is already suing the Des Moines Register and pollster Ann Selzer for her pre-election poll that showed Vice President Kamala Harris winning the state. The lawsuit alleges “brazen election interference,” reports Brooke Singman for Fox News. 

In a press conference after the ABC News settlement, Trump said that he wants “to straighten out our press,” reports Sean Burch for The Wrap. And Max Tani at Semafor reports that Axios is already preparing staff for an increase in government scrutiny. 

News In Focus 
Headlines, resources and events aligned with API’s four areas of focus.

Civic Discourse & Democracy

>> Under Trump, Voice of America journalists fear politicization (The New York Times)

Journalists at VOA are concerned about President-elect Trump’s pick of Kari Lake to head the agency, which she described as having the mission of “chronicling America’s achievements worldwide.” The organization’s actual charter calls for it to be “accurate, objective and comprehensive.”

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Culture & Inclusion

>> Top editors stiff the Washington Post (Axios)

Mike Allen and Sara Fischer report that two candidates for the executive editor position at The Washington Post withdrew from consideration after learning about the paper’s business strategy. A source said that publisher and CEO Will Lewis’s pitch to the candidates was “foggy and uninspiring.” 

>> Figure out what your conflicts are really about (Good Conflict)

Every conflict has the thing it seems to be about — and the thing it’s really about. Here are some common understories that could be causing friction.

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Community Engagement & Trust

>> A San Antonio Express-News editorial series complicated the border policy narrative. That was the goal. (Poynter)

In its series ​​Political Crisis at the Border, the Express-News was careful to avoid simplistic political narratives and instead focus on what’s changed — and what hasn’t — in the immigration discussion in recent years. 

>> From Fox News to NBC, legacy media wants in on TikTok (Wall Street Journal) 

Mainstream news outlets are looking to boost their numbers on TikTok through their journalists’ accounts, rather than the organization’s branded accounts. Executives say they are hoping to appeal to younger audiences who may become future customers. 

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Revenue & Resilience

>> News delayed: How USPS policies are testing small publishers’ resilience (Editor & Publisher)

Changes within the Postal Service are impacting local newspapers’ viability. Publishers say that the consolidation of distribution centers has delayed delivery of their papers, forcing at least one publisher to drive his papers to neighboring counties to ensure prompt delivery.

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What else you need to know

🫱🏽‍🫲🏿 Refinery29 lays off staff and CEO exits (Axios)

⚖️ Carlos Watson, Ozy Media co-founder, is sentenced to almost 10 years in prison (The New York Times) 

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