Prof. Jane Kirtley Quoted in The Guardian About Implications of Press Defamation Win Against CNN

Professor Jane Kirtley, Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law, was quoted in The Guardian about how a CNN defamation lawsuit foreshadows a possible crackdown on media independence during the second Trump administration. Last week, a Florida jury found that CNN defamed a U.S. security contractor who helped rescue endangered Afghans, with the network reaching a settlement to avoid paying punitive damages. Media analysts say the case and trial will be remembered more for the aggressive stance of the prosecution, which almost exactly mirrored Donald Trump’s position that he will “straighten out the press” during his second term. The contractor’s attorney said, “Reckless journalism is un-American. It’s dangerous, and if media companies engage in theater in the newsroom, Americans will hold them accountable in the courtroom,” repeating a familiar Trump refrain often leveled at those who engage in behavior of which he disapproves. Analysts say that dark messaging, and challenge to first amendment rights, is straight from the Trump playbook, with the underlying intent to scare the press into not publishing anything critical or detrimental for fear of lawsuits and severe financial penalties. Experts believe the trial will have a wide reach. Prof. Kirtley said, “Everybody in the news media is on trial in this case. This is not a great time to be a libel defendant if you’re in the news media. If we ever did have the support of the public, it has seriously eroded over the past few years.”