Dominion Voting Systems Files $1.6 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against Fox News

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorThe recent procession of top news executives shifting positions at ABC News, MSNBC and CBS News gives many in the close-knit world of TV journalism cause for hand-wringing.In recent months, NBCUniversal named a new executive, Cesar Conde, to head all its news operations, replacing Andy Lack. Conde in turn named a new president at MSNBC, Rashida Jones.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorKimberly Godwin, a veteran of local and national TV-news operations, will be the next president of ABC News  — and the first Black executive to run a broadcast-network news operation.Disney on Wednesday confirmed that Godwin, who has been with CBS News since 2007, will take over the role most recently held by James Goldston.

Smartmatic said that Fox News cannot get a “Get Out Of Jail Free Card” to escape a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit, in which the company says that the network ruined its reputation when on-air personalities spread conspiracy theories and falsehoods about its role in the 2020 presidential election.

Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch responded to the Anti Defamation League’s call for the ouster of Tucker Carlson, concluding that the Fox News host was not advocating for “white replacement theory” in a segment last week.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorCBS News veteran Kim Godwin is expected to become the next president of ABC News, a move that would make her the first Black executive to lead a broadcast-network news division.Godwin has had an offer from Disney’s ABC for several weeks, according to a person familiar with the matter, but only in the last few days did CBS CEO George Cheeks agree to let the executive out of her contract.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorFox News Media named former U.S.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorTwo CBS veterans, Peter Dunn and David Friend, are leaving their top roles at CBS’ local-stations division as an investigation continues into allegations they were abusive to women and employees of color.“Peter Dunn, President of the CBS Television Stations, and David Friend, Senior Vice President of News for the Stations group, will not return to their positions and will be leaving the Company.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorJim Acosta’s mother recently sent him a text about his first stint as a weekend anchor for CNN. She loved his expression, perhaps with good reason.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorDisney’s search for a new leader for ABC News continues weeks after the company unexpectedly disclosed the former president, James Goldston, would leave the post.Goldston’s last day came at the end of March and the company has yet to hone in on a candidate to replace him, according to four people familiar with parts of the search process. When ABC News heads like David Westin or Ben Sherwood left in years past, Disney identified a successor.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorMorgan Radford will join Aaron Gilchrist as a co-anchor at live-streaming outlet NBC News Now, the latest example of NBC News adding resources to its streaming-video operations.Radford and Gilchrist will co-anchor the service between noon to 2 p.m. Her first appearance as co-anchor on the outlet came on Monday.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorEach weeknight, Fox News Channel’s primetime opinion hosts seek to own the libs. Greg Gutfeld says he wants to own some laughs.In an unorthodox maneuver, executives at the Fox Corp.-owned cable-news outlet will explore whether jokes and satire can capture a crowd after 11 p.m.

Nearly 30 years after its debut, The X-Files and its star David Duchnovy maintain a diehard fan base. But once upon a time, Duchovny wasn’t quite sold that the show would be a success.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorAnchor Bret Baier has renewed his contract with Fox News Channel, extending a pact that was last negotiated in 2019.The deal will keep Baier at the network for the next few years, and will maintain his roles as anchor and executive editor of the Fox Corp. network’s “Special Report” and as the outlet’s chief political anchor.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorFox Nation seems eager to expand its chief export.The streaming service, originally conceived as a place for “super fans” of Fox News Channel, has in recent months been filling its digital shelves with a show led by Nancy Grace; faith-based shows tied to Easter; and vintage movies and TV series.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorKayleigh McEnany, the former White House Press Secretary during the Trump administration, will take on a regular anchoring job at Fox News Channel, co-hosting the daytime program, “Outnumbered,” a move that helps cement the Fox Corporation-backed outlet’s Trump ties in the aftermath of the 2020 election.Starting April 6, McEnany will appear regularly on the program along with Harris Faulkner, who has been a regular presence on the show since its launch in 2014,

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorLara Trump, the Trump family member whose representation of her famous father-in-law helped her gain traction in conservative circles, has joined Fox News Channel as a contributor.“I sort of feel like I’ve been an unofficial member of the team for so long,” Trump said on “Fox & Friends” Monday morning.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorMSNBC wants to make sure viewers know when they’re getting just the facts and when they are getting a little more.The cable outlet is unveiling a new name for its daytime news programming, rechristening it “MSNBC Reports” instead of the current “MSNBC Live.” The change represents a bid to ensure viewers can distinguish between breaking news content from anchors such as Stephanie Ruhle and Katy Tur and programming that tilts more toward analysis and opinion.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorFilmmaker Woody Allen, whose career has been marred by sexual abuse allegations made in 1992 by his daughter, Dylan Farrow, has granted a rare interview that will be streamed on Paramount Plus as part of a broader “CBS Sunday Morning” package.CBS News says the interview, recorded in July of last year, represents Allen’s first in-depth television interview in nearly three decades.