[Karah]

CNN IS FACING A DEFAMATION LAWSUIT IN A FLORIDA COURTROOM THIS WEEK AFTER AIRING A SEGMENT ABOUT PRIVATE CONTRACTORS EXPLOITING AFGHANS DURING THE AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL IN 2021.

A NAVY VETERAN FEATURED IN THE PIECE SUED THE NETWORK FOR DEFAMING HIM – SAYING CNN SENSATIONALIZED THE STORY RESULTING IN HIS IMAGE AND BUSINESS BEING DAMAGED.

THE SEGMENT – WAS ABOUT PRIVATE CONTRACTORS CHARGING AFGHANS LARGE SUMS OF MONEY TO HELP THEM LEAVE THE COUNTRY AT A TIME OF DESPERATION.

THE CNN REPORTER DESCRIBED IT AS “BLACK MARKET” EVACUATIONS.

ONE OF THOSE CONTRACTORS – ZACHARY YOUNG – THE ONLY ONE MENTIONED BY NAME IN THE NEWS SEGMENT – SUED THE NEWS OUTLET –

SAYING THE NETWORK FALSELY ACCUSED HIM OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY AND TURNED HIM INTO AN “INTERNATIONAL PARIAH.”

YOUNG’S LAWYER CALLING IT “A HIT PIECE.”

SAYING –

“The world braced for the Taliban’s return, but CNN sitting at their desks in D.C., wanted to tell America a more sensational story. CNN took pleasure in casting Zach as a villain.

Overnight, he went from patriot to criminal and his career as a private intelligence and security consultant has not recovered. CNN’s reckless journalism stole Zach’s income and reputation.

YOUNG SAYS HE NEVER ACCEPTED MONEY FROM INDIVIDUAL AFGHANS BUT INSTEAD WAS PAID BY SPONSORS OR CORPORATIONS WHO WANTED TO HELP IN EVACUATIONS.

YOUNG SAYS CORPORATIONS LIKE AUDIBLE AND BLOOMBERG PAID HIM TO GET MORE THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE OUT OF AFGHANISTAN.

BUT CNN’S LAWYER TOLD THE JURY, THE REPORT WAS ACCURATE.

DURING TRIAL CNN’S ATTORNEY, SAID –

“Every word you are going to see from CNN’s reporters was true and was accurate. There is no evidence in this case that there was anything sensational in the story.”

YOUNG’S LAWYER ALSO INTRODUCED TO THE JURY THIS WEEK TEXT MESSAGES BETWEEN CNN REPORTERS AND EDITORS – EVIDENCE OBTAINED THROUGH THE SUIT.

ACCORDING TO THE TEXTS, REPORTERS SAID YOUNG “HAD A PUNCHABLE FACE” AND MOCKED HIM.

YOUNG TOLD THE JURY –

“It’s devastating when you’re labeled a criminal all over the world for someone like me. We refer to ourselves as quiet professionals. Discretion is everything.”

FIVE MONTHS AFTER THE STORY AIRED – CNN ISSUED AN ON-AIR APOLOGY TO YOUNG SAYING ITS USE OF THE PHRASE “BLACK MARKET” WAS WRONG.

AND THE NETWORK DIDN’T INTEND TO SUGGEST THAT YOUNG PARTICIPATED IN A BLACK MARKET AND SAID THEY REGRETTED THE ERROR.

THIS CASE – HIGHLIGHTING CURRENT CHALLENGES FACED BY TRADITIONAL MEDIA IN AN ERA WHERE MISINFORMATION, MEDIA MISTRUST, AND CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY ARE AT THE FOREFRONT.

WITH DECLINING VIEWERSHIP, REVENUE, AND INCREASING COMPETITION FROM DIGITAL PLATFORMS, LEGACY MEDIA OUTLETS LIKE CNN ARE NAVIGATING A NEW LANDSCAPE –

AND THIS DEFAMATION SUIT COULD FURTHER HURT THE NETWORK’S IMAGE AS CNN’S BEHIND THE SCENES OPERATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS BECOMEPART OF THE TRIAL.

CASES AGAINST THE MEDIA ARE RARE DUE TO U.S. PROTECTIONS OVER THE PRESS –

OFTEN LEADING TO DISMISSALS OR SETTLEMENTS –

JUST LAST MONTH – ABC PAID15 MILLION DOLLARS TO SETTLE A DEFAMATION SUIT BROUGHT BY TRUMP.

AND IN 2023 – A HIGH-PROFILE LIBEL CASE AGAINST FOX NEWS ENDED WITH THE NETWORK PAYING 787 MILLION DOLLARS TO SETTLE WITH DOMINION VOTING SYSTEMS.

CNN’S DEFAMATION TRIAL IS EXPECTED TO LAST TWO WEEKS.

WE’LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS STORY AND YOU CAN TOO.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS – I’M KARAH RUCKER.