NEW YORK—Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit by President Donald Trump, ending a long-running legal saga that could clear the way for Federal Communications Commission approval of the Paramount-Skydance Media merger.

Trump filed the suit last year, asking for $10 billion in damages, an amount he later raised to $20 million. The lawsuit claimed that CBS’s “60 Minutes” deceptively edited an interview with his 2024 election foe, former Vice President Kamala Harris, in a “deceitful” manner designed to influence the election.

CBS News’ actions represented “partisan and unlawful acts of election and voter interference through malicious, deceptive, and substantial news distortion calculated to (a) confuse, deceive, and mislead the public, and (b) attempt to tip the scales in favor of the Democratic Party as the heated 2024 Presidential Election” said the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Amarillo Division.

A number of media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board, and legal scholars had argued the suit was frivolous and that CBS would prevail in court.

In settling the suit, Paramount said it would pay Trump’s legal fees and that the remaining money would go to Trump’s presidential library. Paramount also said that settlement did not involve an apology.

Critics have said that Trump was using the FCC’s investigation of the merger and a “news distortion” complaint as a way to put additional pressure on Paramount to settle the lawsuit. The FCC has denied there is any connection between the suit and themerger approval process. But it has said that the news distortion complaint about how the Harris interview was edited would play a role in the merger review.

WASHINGTON—Federal Communications Commission member Anna Gomez has wrapped up two weeks in California visiting broadcasters, television studio executives, entertainment-sector labor unions and companies in the space industry. The visits included meetings with representatives for ABC, NBC and Fox, Gomez said.

Gomez said the visits were designed to better inform her about the challenges facing the broadcast industry and how increased competition in the space sector can benefit consumers.

The visits came at a time amid mounting worries that some media companies and corporate executives might exert greater control over their news departments as a way to curry favor with the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has sued both CBS and ABC regarding their coverage of the 2024 presidential campaign, and broadcast networks are facing pressure from the FCC, which has been pushing companies to end fact-checking efforts and their DEI programs. The FCC is also investigating ABC, CBS and NBC over “news bias.”

Disney’s ABC settled the Trump suit for $15 million and Paramount Global is in talks about settling the lawsuit against CBS News regarding the editing of a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris during last year’s presidential campaign. Gomez has previously criticizedthe FCC's investigation into CBS.

So far this year, two senior executives at CBS News have left in response to concerns that their parent company might settle the Trump lawsuit as a way to gain FCC approval for the proposed merger between Paramount Global and Skydance.

“I was glad to meet with media executives to better understand the challenges they face in a changing media landscape and the ways in which the FCC can help support the broadcast industry,” Gomez said. “These visits also led to important conversations about the vital responsibilities that corporate parents have to defend their First Amendment rights and ensure their news divisions remain free of political interference. In a democracy, the public’s trust in news media is paramount, and it requires news organizations to prioritize independent reporting over outside political pressure.”

During her meetings with television studio executives in Los Angeles, Gomez’s office reported that she also discussed recent actions by corporate parents to exert greater influence over their news divisions in response to White House pressure. Gomez reminded corporate executives of the protections afforded to them and their media reporters under the First Amendment, and the importance of maintaining a free and independent press, her office said.

Those meetings included ones with representatives for ABC, NBC and Fox.

In addition to these meetings, Gomez also met with the leadership of two major labor unions in the entertainment industry to discuss efforts by this Administration to try to influence creative expression and control creative content. The meetings with SAG-AFTRA and the Writer’s Guild of America, West focused on ways in which these efforts could undermine artistic freedom, threaten workers’ rights, and impact the diversity of voices represented in film and television.

Gomez also visited established and emerging companies in Los Angeles and San Francisco that are part of the growing space economy. The goal of these visits was to learn about how these companies are contributing to the field, as well as to discuss ways in which the FCC can better promote competition in the space economy. Gomez visited Planet, Astranis, Rocket Lab, and K2 Space -companies with satellite manufacturing labs- as well as NASA’s Ames Research Center and Apple to learn about its partnership with Globalstar to provide emergency satellite connectivity.

“Space is an exciting frontier of discovery and innovation. Explosive growth in this sector, domestically and internationally, has meant new opportunities for entrepreneurs and visionaries, but it also raises new questions for regulators like the FCC,” Gomez said. “As our country increasingly relies on space-based connectivity to eliminate mobile dead zones, provide greater national security capabilities and lead space communications globally, the FCC must ensure a robust and competitive ecosystem exists that expands consumer choice, lowers costs and drives further innovation.”

WASHINGTON—Two Senate Democrats have sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission arguing that the regulator needs to be extremely transparent in its review of the Paramount Global-Skydance merger given the appearance that the process might involve “bribery” and unfair regulatory pressure by the Trump administration on Paramount’s CBS News.

The letter was sent by Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), ranking member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Telecommunications and Media Subcommittee, to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.

Citing reports that Paramount is considering settling what the senators called “a frivolous lawsuit” brought by President Donald Trump, Markey and Luján said the FCC should only approve the merger by an affirmative vote of the full commission.

As previously reported, President Donald Trump has sued Paramount for $20 billion in damages relating to how CBS News edited a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The FCC is also investigating CBS over “news distortion” regarding how the interview, which took place during the 2024 presidential campaign between Trump and Harris, was edited, and Carr has said that issue will be an important part of its review of the merger.

The fact that the FCC is investigating the Paramount and CBS as the president is suing the company has been attacked by critics, including several former FCC commissioners, They have complained that the FCC is helping the White House censor media critics of the administration. The pressure of the FCC investigation might also produce a financial windfall for Trump if Paramount settles the suit.

Disney’s ABC, which is also being investigated by the FCC, has already settled a separate suit by Trump.

Carr has repeatedly denied those allegations, saying the FCC investigations have no relationship to the Trump lawsuits and that he hasn’t even read the Trump lawsuit. Even though other agencies have already approved the merger, Carr has also stressed that the FCC has not delayed ruling on the merger to increase pressure on Paramount.

In the May 13 letter, the senators wrote: “In late October, then-candidate Trump sued CBS for $10 billion—later raising this outrageous amount to $20 billion—for supposedly deceptively editing an interview of then-Vice President Kamala Harris on its programs ‘60 Minutes’ and ‘Face the Nation.’ As the transcript of the interview showed, the excerpts that CBS aired were a quintessential example of editorial decision-making. Trump’s claim that such conduct constituted ‘voter interference’ and violated Texas’ consumer protection law is both false and a clear attempt to intimidate the news media. CBS has rightfully moved to dismiss the case.

“Despite the obviously frivolous nature of the lawsuit, Paramount is reportedly considering settling the case to ‘increase the odds that the Trump administration does not block or delay’ its merger with Skydance,” the letter continues. “In fact, Paramount executives and directors are reportedly concerned that such a settlement could open them up to accusations of bribery. Paramount would not be the first to settle a lawsuit brought by the President in the past few months. In the weeks following the inauguration, ABC ($16 million), Meta ($25 million), and X ($10 million) all settled cases brought by Trump. With Paramount on the hook to pay Skydance a $400 million breakup fee if the FCC blocks the deal, the company has strong financial incentives to facilitate FCC approval of the merger.

“For those reasons, this transaction has signs of a deal between a company eager for approval of a multibillion-dollar merger and a president willing to exploit his position to intimidate the media and secure a multimillion-dollar payout,” the letter concludes. “The unique position of this merger necessitates the utmost transparency at the FCC. A matter of this significance deserves the scrutiny of the entire commission. We urge you to only approve this merger through a full commission vote.”

More TV Tech coverage of the FCC can be found here.

he National Association of Broadcasters is urging the FCC to end its investigation of that controversial CBS interview with Kamala Harris — stating there is no evidence of “news distortion.”

In February, the FCC invited the public to weigh in on the “60 Minutes” interview with the then-vice president after the full, unedited footage was released. At that time, the commission posted links to the video and transcript, and established a docket to seek comment.

In its newly filed comments, the NAB said the FCC must quickly dismiss the “invalid” complaint. “Despite the complaint’s focus on how the former vice president’s answer to a single question was edited, nothing here indicates, let alone demonstrates, deliberate falsification or a deliberate intent to mislead …”

The complaint on which the FCC is acting was filed in October by the Center for American Rights, a conservative legal firm. It was dismissed by the FCC Enforcement Bureau under Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, then reopened by Chairman Brendan Carr once President Donald Trump was inaugurated.

Before she stepped down from her position, Rosenworcel said the agency “does not and will not revoke licenses for broadcast stations simply because a political candidate disagrees with or dislikes content or coverage.”

NAB said that CAR, in its CBS complaint, effectively uses “news distortion” as a proxy for “balance” to urge the FCC to “assure” a “balanced presentation of information.”

“But ‘news distortion’ is about falsifying or distorting facts,” said NAB, arguing the complaint is not justified.

The FCC’s policy against “news distortion” in over-the-air broadcast (local TV and radio stations) news has been in place for more than 50 years; however, there are several protections in place for broadcasters. FCC rules state that news distortion “must involve a significant event and not merely a minor or incidental aspect of the news report.” In weighing the constitutionality of the policy, courts have recognized that the policy “makes a crucial distinction between deliberate distortion and mere inaccuracy or difference of opinion,” according to FCC guidelines.

In its comments, NAB said, “the news distortion policy at its essence concerns falsifying or distorting facts, not ‘balance’ or ‘fairness,’ as conceived in the long-repealed Fairness Doctrine,” of which the NAB makes several references in its comments, calling the outdated legislation unconstitutional.

The Fairness Doctrine, introduced in 1949, was a policy that required broadcast licensees to present controversial issues of public importance in a manner that fairly reflected differing viewpoints. In 1985, under Chairman Mark Fowler, the commission released a report stating that the doctrine hurt the public interest and violated free speech rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. The doctrine was eventually abolished in 1987.

“Even beyond similarities with the Fairness Doctrine, the news distortion policy is unconstitutionally vague,” said NAB in its comments.

According to the FCC’s website, the commission’s authority to take action on complaints about the accuracy or bias of news networks, stations, reporters or commentators in how they cover — or sometimes opt to not cover — events is “narrow.”

It states: “The agency is prohibited by law from engaging in censorship or infringing on First Amendment rights of the press. Those protected rights include, but are not limited to, a broadcaster’s selection and presentation of news or commentary …”

NAB wrote in its comments: “Given that the complaint does not even allege a prima facie case for news distortion, let alone provide evidence that the editing in question was designed to deliberately mislead viewers about a significant event, and done so at the direction of the licensee’s management, it must be dismissed.”

It continued: “Further, even assuming a successful claim could be made, Congress did not grant the FCC the authority to develop and enforce its news distortion policy, and that policy also almost certainly violates the First Amendment.”

Last year, Trump sued CBS over the broadcast, claiming that “60 Minutes” deceptively edited the interview to interfere with the presidential election. The president has since demanded “a lot” of money to settle the case. Many First Amendment experts and industry advocates have called the suit frivolous.

This article originally appeared on TV Tech sister brand Radio World.

Attorneys for President Trump and Paramount are seeking a mediator to resolve Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit against CBS, according to the New York Times.

The Times, citing several sources, said Paramount had no comment but quotes Trump’s lawyer Ed Paltzik, “President Trump will pursue this vital matter to its just and rightful conclusion.”

Trump filed the lawsuit against CBS just prior to the 2024 election, accusing the network of editing an interview with then Vice President Kamala Harris to show bias against him. The lawsuit was amended to add the network’s parent company as a separate defendant.

Brendan Carr, Trump’s new FCC chairman has also accused CBS of “distortion,” and said as early as last November that the lawsuit would be a part of the commission’s review of the merger. The FCC released the full transcript of the interview earlier this month and has asked for public comment.

Attorneys for Trump and Paramount are currently negotiating but CBS staffers are opposed to issuing an apology to Trump, according to the Times.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Federal Communications Commission investigation into CBS and an interview conducted by "60 Minutes" with vice president Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential race has significantly escalated with news that the FCC sent a letter to CBS News demanding video, transcripts and other information about the interview.

The complaint against CBS, which was filed by the conservative group Center for American Rights, was dropped by former FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel, who called it a violation of the broadcaster’s First Amendment rights. It was, however, quickly reinstated along by current FCC chair Brendan Carr as part of his new regulatory agenda.

President Donald Trump has sued CBS over how the Harris interview was edited. Carr has repeatedly said that the bias complaint against CBS is going to be part of the FCC’s review of the Paramount Global-Skydance merger. The FCC could derail the merger if it refuses to transfer ownership of the CBS-owned broadcast local stations.

In response to the letter, a CBS News spokesman has told The New York Times, “We are working to comply with that inquiry as we are legally compelled to do.”

According to the Times, the FCC asked for “the full, unedited transcript and camera feeds.”

The move drew a heated rebuke from FCC commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, who said the investigation is part of a trend to “weaponize our broadcast licensing authority,” and “set a dangerous precedent that threatens to undermine trust in the agency’s role as an impartial regulator.”

“During these last two weeks, the FCC has shown a concerning pattern of implementing the will of the Administration on issues that go far beyond our core responsibilities,” Gomez wrote in a statement. “These actions disregard long-standing norms and ignore the mandate granted by Congress to the FCC to act as an independent agency. They also set a dangerous precedent that threatens to undermine trust in the agency’s role as an impartial regulator. This latest action to weaponize our broadcast licensing authority is no different. It revives a complaint that had been previously dismissed by FCC experts due to lack of evidence and because it fell far short of the high standard needed for agency action.”

Gomez concluded: “Let’s be clear. This is a retaliatory move by the government against broadcasters whose content or coverage is perceived to be unfavorable. It is designed to instill fear in broadcast stations and influence a network’s editorial decisions. The Communications Act clearly prohibits the Commission from censoring broadcasters and the First Amendment protects journalistic decisions against government intimidation. We must respect the rule of law, uphold the Constitution, and safeguard public trust in our oversight of broadcasters.”

FCC commissioner Brendan Carr—President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for the regulator’s chair in the new administration—is signaling that the agency may consider a complaint against CBS’s 60 Minutes for news bias as part of the FCC’s review of the proposed Skydance-Paramount Global deal.

While the deal has not prompted much regulatory scrutiny, the FCC would have to approve the transfer of CBS-owned stations as part of its review of the deal in which Skydance would acquire Paramount, the broadcast network’s parent company.

Trump has complained repeatedly about the way CBS edited an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris and has filed a lawsuit against the network.

Carr has also repeated those complaints and asked CBS to release a transcript.

“There's also a news distortion complaint at the FCC still, having to do with CBS, and CBS as a transaction before the FCC,” Carr said in an interview with Fox News Channel. “And I’m pretty confident that that news distortion complaint over the CBS 60 Minutes transcript is something that's likely to arise in the context of the FCC’s review of that transaction.”

During the interview Carr argued, “Jeff Bezos just recently did an op-ed where he said that Americans don’t trust the news media. He said now they’re the least trusted of all. And I think he's speaking a lot of truth there. So I think the status quo, particularly when it comes to legacy media, needs to change.”

With regard to broadcasters, Carr said: “There’s a lot the FCC can do. Broadcasters are differently situated than other speakers. They get free access to a valuable public resource, the airwaves. And they’re licensed by the FCC. And the exchange for that is they have to serve the public interest. I think it's important that we take another look at that and we reinvigorate it."

Carr also posted on X that he would be seriously examining the public interest obligations of broadcasters, The Daily Beast has reported.

“Broadcast media have had the privilege of using a scarce and valuable public resource—our airwaves,“ Carr said in the post. ”In turn, they are required by law to operate in the public interest. When the transition is complete, the FCC will enforce this public interest obligation."

Carr has repeatedly said he has no intention of censoring news operations or restricting free speech, but critics have said the recent comments could provide a pretext for using perceived bias in news coverage of the Trump administration during the broadcast-license renewals.

CBS has responded to attacks against what critics have labeled the network’s “news distortion” in editing its interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee.

Critics—led by former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president—contend that the Oct. 14 interview was “deceptively edited” and have called for a release of the transcript. Trump himself called on the FCC to revoke CBS’s broadcast license on his Truth Social social-media platform last week:

“ ‘60 Minutes’ is a major part of the News Organization of CBS, which has just created th Greatest Fraud in Broadcast History,” Trump wrote. “CBS should lose its license, and it should be bid out to the Highest Bidder, as should all other Broadcast Licenses, because they are just as corrupt as CBS — and maybe even WORSE!”

That prompted this response from CBS:

“Former President Donald Trump is accusing ‘60 Minutes’ of deceitful editing of our Oct. 7 interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. That is false.

“‘60 Minutes’ gave an excerpt of our interview to ‘Face the Nation’ that used a longer section of her answer than that on ‘60 Minutes.’ Same question. Same answer. But a different portion of the response. When we edit any interview, whether a politician, an athlete, or movie star, we strive to be clear, accurate and on point. The portion of her answer on ‘60 Minutes’ was more succinct, which allows time for other subjects in a wide-ranging, 21-minute-long segment.

“Remember, Mr. Trump pulled out of his interview with ‘60 Minutes’ and the vice president participated.

“Our long-standing invitation to former President Trump remains open. If he would like to discuss the issues facing the nation and the Harris interview, we would be happy to have him on ‘60 Minutes.’”

FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel also responded to Trump’s criticism, saying the regulator “does not and will not revoke licenses for broadcast stations simply because a political candidate disagrees with or dislikes content or coverage. While repeated attacks against broadcast stations by the former President may now be familiar, these threats against free speech are serious and should not be ignored. As I’ve said before, the First Amendment is a cornerstone of our democracy.”

This is the third time Rosenworcel has responded to threats against broadcasters during the 2024 campaign season. In September, in response to Trump’s call for ABC to lose its broadcast license over Trump’s accusations that the network’s broadcast of his Sept. 10 debate with Harris was “rigged,” Rosenworcel said, “the First Amendment is a cornerstone of our democracy,” adding, “the FCC does not revoke licenses for broadcast stations simply because a political candidate disagrees with or dislikes content or coverage.”

Rosenworcel also had to step in after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration sent a “cease and desist” letter to TV stations in the state that aired campaign ads supporting an amendment that would enshrine the right to an abortion in Florida, calling the ads both “false” and “dangerous.”

“The right of broadcasters to speak freely is rooted in the First Amendment,” Rosenworcel said. “Threats against broadcast stations for airing content that conflicts with the government’s views are dangerous and undermine the fundamental principle of free speech.”

The Center for American Rights (CAR) has filed a formal complaint with the FCC against WCBS-TV New York for engaging in significant and intentional "news distortion" in the broadcast of Vice President Kamala Harris’ interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation’ and "60 Minutes" on October 5 and 6, 2024.

The conservative nonprofit CAR filed the complaint on Oct. 16. Prior to that, it had filed complaints against ABC News with both the FCC and the Federal Election Commission (FEC) regarding ABC’s handling of the Sept. 10 presidential debate between Democratic candidate Harris and former Presidnent Donald Trump, the Republican candidate.

The editing of the “60 Minutes” interview with Harris has drawn fire from Republicans and conservative commentators because CBS aired different responses from Harris on that show and on “Face the Nation” to a question about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The controversy and the complaint by CAR has also drawn comment from Republican FCC commissioner Nathan Simington, a Trump appointee, who gave an interview to Fox News Digital on the subject.

"The commission acts on complaints about distortion, not complaints about editorial positions,” Simington told Fox News Digital. “And so, what this claim is alleging is that an act of distortion took place. And so, if you look at the FCC statute -- Section 326 of our statute says that the commission doesn't have the power of censorship over broadcast signals and the commission has generally summarized its own position as saying that we need documentary evidence of deliberate distortion that would be sufficiently strong to require an inquiry."

"And in fact, in a prior proceeding on this matter, we gave the example of substituting a yes answer to one question or a no answer to an entirely different question," he continued. "So, the Commission has certainly contemplated the possibility of distortionary reporting taking place via splicing. That's one reason I don't think that this complaint is facially ridiculous, and it would not be inappropriate for the commission to take it up."

FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel, who has repeatedly criticized attempts to revoke broadcast station licenses based on political speech, has opposed efforts to take away CBS station licenses over the editing of the Harris interview. On Oct. 10, she issued a statement after repeated calls by former President Trump to revoke the licenses of broadcast stations for political reasons.

“While repeated attacks against broadcast stations by the former President may now be familiar, these threats against free speech are serious and should not be ignored,” she said. “As I’ve said before, the First Amendment is a cornerstone of our democracy. The FCC does not and will not revoke licenses for broadcast stations simply because a political candidate disagrees with or dislikes content or coverage.”

Rosenworcel has also previously spoken out against efforts by political candidates or government officials to influence the content shared by broadcast stations. Following the Presidential debate in September, she rejected calls by Trump to revoke ABC’s licenses. She has also warned against threats by Florida state officials against broadcast stations.

In its FCC complaint, CAR said that CBS aired conflicting responses in the two broadcasts when the same question was posed to Harris regarding Netanyahu.

These discrepancies, CAR argued, amount to deliberate news distortion—a violation of FCC rules governing broadcasters' public interest obligations. The complaint demands CBS release the unedited transcript of the interview to set the record straight.

“This isn’t just about one interview or one network,” CAR President Daniel Suhr said. “This is about the public’s trust in the media on critical issues of national security and international relations during one of the most consequential elections of our time. When broadcasters manipulate interviews and distort reality, it undermines democracy itself. The FCC must act swiftly to restore public confidence in our news media.”

CAR has also filed complaints against ABC News with both the FCC and FEC for what it claims are “clear sponsor favoritism in the Harris-Trump debate broadcast by ABC News on September 10, 2024.” In that complaint, CAR argued, “ABC’s moderators unfairly targeted former President Trump while providing Vice President Harris a free pass on factual inaccuracies.”

The FCC complaint against WCBS-TV can be found here.

TV Tech has reached out to CBS for a comment on the complaint.

ATLANTA—Local Now, a free streaming platform from The Allen Media Group, has expanded its offerings of CBS programming with the addition of three recently launched ad-supported television (FAST) channels: “60 Minutes,” “48 Hours” and “Entertainment Tonight.”

The FAST channel dedicated to 60 Minutes provides access to new and classic segments of the iconic newsmagazine’s library. The CBS Entertainment Tonight (ET) FAST channel covers the latest news in movies, TV and celebrities, while the 48 Hours FAST channel features over 500 episodes of the award-winning true crime series and will include blocks of episodes with themes including: Crimes of Passion, Serial and Spree Killings, Criminal Blunders, Evil in the Family, Love Gone Wrong, Wrongful Convictions, Women Who Kill, Houses of Horror, Money Kills, Missing People, Cold Cases, Survival Stories and Hollywood Mysteries.

“Through the addition of these three excellent CBS FAST channels, Local Now continues to expand its foothold in delivering the best FREE streaming entertainment and news content available,” said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “Local Now is growing exponentially, and content partnerships like CBS play a crucial role in the platform's success.”

“Partnering with Local Now introduces our award-winning news, entertainment, and true crime programming to new audiences. Our best-in-class franchises 60 Minutes, 48 Hours and Entertainment Tonight have built dedicated followings, and we're excited to offer streaming viewers the chance to engage with our journalism and entertainment content on these thoughtfully curated FAST channels,” said Wendy McMahon, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures.

Local Now provides localized news, weather, sports, traffic, and entertainment, produced by various leading news organizations, in more than 225 markets across the U.S. It offers more than 500 free streaming channels, including a Local Now channel in every DMA in the country, as well as more than 20,000 movies, TV shows, and documentaries. The Local Now app is available on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Xfinity, Vizio, Samsung, Android and IOS devices.

WASHINGTON—The Radio Television Digital News Foundation has unveiled its list of seven winners for the 30th annual First Amendment Awards. The First Amendment Awards honor the role that journalists play in local and national media promoting the First Amendment.

Winning the 2020 Leonard Zeidenberg First Amendment Award is ABC News’ David Muir. The Leonard Zeidenberg Award, named after the late Broadcasting & Cable senior correspondent, is presented to a radio or TV journalist or news executive who made a major contribution to the protection of First Amendment freedoms. Muir, in his role as ABC World News Tonight anchor, offers dispatches from Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Beirut and other global hotspots.

The simply named First Amendment Award, which recognizes an outstanding individual or organization that champions the First Amendment and press freedoms, went to CBS News’ “60 Minutes.” On air for 52 seasons, “60 Minutes” is known for shedding light on important subjects and holding its subject accountable, per RTDNF.

Robert Horner of NBC News was the honoree for the First Amendment Service Award, given to a professional in local or network news that works off-air, behind the scenes. Horner is the creator and was president for 27 years of NBC News Channel, a feed service for local NBC affiliates and NBC’s international partners.

The First Amendment Leadership Award was won by Barbara Maushard, the senior vice president of news at Hearst Television. The Leadership Award is presented to a business, government or other leader that contributed to the freedom of the press.

Recognizing a journalist that went to extreme lengths to provide meaning and context to a complicated news story or issue of extreme importance, the 2020 First Amendment Clarity Award was presented to Lori Montenegro, the Washington Bureau Chief of Telemundo.

Earning the First Amendment Defender Award for taking a public stand in support of press freedom was Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)

Lastly, the Lifetime Achievement Award recognized Steve Andrews, senior investigative reporter from WFLA-TV in Tampa, Fla. His career has spanned 35 years, covering stories that in many cases have helped change laws.

“This year’s honorees are a mix of local and network journalists that provide illuminating reporting, a respected national news program which holds the powerful accountable and a visionary who defends the public’s right to know,” said Jerry Walsh, RTDNF chairman and vice president of local content development at Nexstar Broadcasting.

All of the winners will receive their awards at the First Amendment Awards Dinner & Show on March 5 in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.firstamendmentawards.org.