By Free Republic | Created at 2024-12-19 00:37:31 | Updated at 2024-12-19 04:02:06
3 hours ago
ABC’s George Stephanopoulos was repeatedly warned not to use word ‘rape’ by producer — but said it anyway: sources
NY Post ^ | 12/18/2-24 | Alexandra Steigrad and Ariel Zilber
Posted on 12/18/2024 4:26:20 PM PST by God luvs America
George Stephanopoulos was repeatedly told by his executive producer not to “use the word rape” before going on the air to discuss Donald Trump but the ABC News anchor ignored the warning — a decision that cost the network $16 million, The Post has learned.
Parent company Disney’s capitulation last week in the defamation lawsuit by Trump against ABC News and Stephanopoulos shocked media and legal experts, but the damning revelation could help explain why Mouse House CEO Bob Iger signed off on the settlement so quickly.
The “This Week” host uttered that Trump was “liable for rape” while discussing the civil lawsuit won by journalist E. Jean Carroll during an interview with Republican lawmaker Nancy Mace in March.
“‘This Week’ producer said ‘don’t use the word rape’ before the segment started,” a network source told The Post. “The EP [executive producer] said it so many times.”
Disney’s chances of winning the lawsuit would be damaged if Stephanopoulos ignored his producer’s warning, legal experts told The Post.
Often, when dealing with litigious subjects, the company’s legal team may speak to producers ahead of time to advise on language so as to avoid lawsuits, which is customary in the media industry.
However, it is unclear whether ABC’s legal team had been involved before Stephanopoulos went on the air.
ABC News declined to comment. Reps for Disney and Stephanopoulos did not return requests for comment.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
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Thank you very much and God bless you.
Explains a lot- now fire the little twit
To: God luvs America
To: God luvs America
He might have gotten away with it had he used the term “sexual assault”. It’s a nebulous term that can literally mean anything that involves socializing with anybody on any level.
3 posted on 12/18/2024 4:29:58 PM PST by Jonty30 (Genghis Khan did not have the most descendants. His father had more. )
To: God luvs America
he was much more interested in how many people he could influence to vote against Trump than how much money doing so would cost his network
4 posted on 12/18/2024 4:31:46 PM PST by ChronicMA
To: God luvs America
This agrees with what Megyn Kelly reported, she has pretty good sources in the industry. Deposition would prove that he had been told that rape was incorrect and said it anyway, which would satisfy the Sulliven “actual malice” standard in court.
You have to screw up pretty bigly to be guilty of libel, and Steffy did so.
5 posted on 12/18/2024 4:31:51 PM PST by bigbob (Yes. We ARE going back!)
To: God luvs America
How does little Georgie still have a job?
6 posted on 12/18/2024 4:32:48 PM PST by rainee (Trump won! )
To: rainee
How does little Georgie still have a job?
Because he did exactly as he was told to. The "warnings" (wink wink) from the producer were to cover the korporation. Stephie was giving them deniability.
"All of you saw it. I warned him. You saw it."
7 posted on 12/18/2024 4:35:54 PM PST by T.B. Yoits
To: rainee
To: God luvs America
Good move George :)
Too bad it didn’t come out of his personal salary.
9 posted on 12/18/2024 4:36:12 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; not averse to Going Bronson.)
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