Credit: Walt Disney Television, Flickr
For decades, ABC News has been one of the most popular and well-respected news institutions in the business. Every day, millions of Americans tune into shows like Good Morning America, 20/20, The View, World News Tonight With David Muir, Nightline, and more. Viewers also have their favorite news anchors that they trust, like Robin Roberts, David Muir, Michael Strahan, and George Stephanopoulos.
Unfortunately, one of those trusted and beloved anchors found themselves at the center of a media firestorm and at the heart of a major lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump.
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Back in March, Mr. Stephanopoulos interviewed Congresswoman Nancy Mace of South Carolina. Ms. Mace is an outspoken rape survivor, and during the interview, Stephanopoulos asked her how she could be a supporter of Donald Trump when he has been found liable for sexual assault. However, instead of saying sexual assault, the news anchor said “rape” more than once.
That interview led to Mr. Trump filing a massive lawsuit against Disney, ABC News, and Mr. Stephanopoulos for defamation. And, to the surprise of many, Disney CEO Bob Iger decided to settle with Trump for an astonishing $16 million.
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Shortly after the settlement was announced, many were wondering if ABC News and Disney would decide to part ways with Mr. Stephanopoulos, who has been with the network for more than twenty years. Stephanopoulos makes around $18 million per year and is one of the highest-paid anchors in the business. But is he worth the $16 million that he just cost the company, or is his job on the chopping block?
Well, according to new reports, Disney and ABC have answered with a resounding yes.
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According to Variety, ABC News has just inked a new deal with Mr. Stephanopoulos. However, ABC has not shared how long the contract will last or how much Stephanopoulos will be making.
When it comes to the settlement with Mr. Trump, Stephanopoulos was reportedly “blindsided” and felt humiliated by Bob Iger’s decision to settle. Iger has long been a supporter of Mr. Stephanopoulos and was instrumental in making sure he stayed with ABC when his contract expired in 2020.
While Mr. Stephanopoulos might have been shocked by the decision, insiders claimed that Disney and ABC were not sure if they could win the lawsuit. The anchor had reportedly been told numerous times not to use the word “rape” during his interview with Nancy Mace, but he did it anyway. That made winning the lawsuit that much more difficult.
ABC News has been struggling in recent years, so many viewers will be glad to hear that one of their favorite news anchors will be sticking around for the foreseeable future.
Are you happy to hear that George Stephanopoulos will be continuing as a news anchor at ABC? Or is keeping him on too risky for the network?