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Millions Tune In Daily For ABC's Special Coverage Of ‘Diddy' Trial
ABC News Live graphic for its series 'Burden of Proof: The Case Against Diddy'
Since its launch in May, ABC's daily show on the trial of music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Burden of Proof: The Case Against Diddy, has drawn an impressive audience of 16 million viewers, based on video starts across YouTube and ABC's streaming platform, ABC News Live.
Streaming daily from opening statements through the jury's verdict, the program, hosted by GMA3 co-anchor and senior national correspondent Eva Pilgrim, provides a deep dive into what happens each day in the courtroom--and what it may mean to both the prosecution and the defense. Pilgrim is joined daily by ABC News chief investigative correspondent Aaron Katersky and legal contributor and attorney Brian Buckmire, who has been inside the courtroom.
'Our goal is to keep audiences informed, and the response we've seen proves they're looking for real-time coverage that's clear, accurate and thoughtful," Pilgrim said. 'As we break down each development, we stay grounded in the experiences of the victims and survivors and approach their stories with the sensitivity they deserve.'
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 26: Sean "Diddy" Combs attends Day 1 of 2023 Invest Fest at Georgia World ... More Congress Center on August 26, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by)
Combs is on trial in federal court on charges including racketeering and sex trafficking, and has featured searing testimony from witnesses, including women who have taken the stand to describe graphic sexual encounters with Combs that they said were not consensual.
Three women have testified using pseudonyms, but others have not, including Cassie Ventura, an R&B singer and former girlfriend of Combs, who testified for four days about their relationship. Prosecutors say Ventura was sex trafficked and subject to physical abuse, including an assault captured in a surveillance video recorded at a Los Angeles hotel.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Cassie Ventura attend the 'Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic ... More Imagination' Costume Institute Gala 2018 at Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, New York on Monday, May 7, 2018. (Laura Thompson / New York Daily News via Getty Images)
Ventura's final day of testimony on May 15 drew the largest audience for Burden of Proof: 1.8 million views, followed by the first day she took the stand on May 12 (1.7 million views).
"The strong engagement we've seen around our reporting of the case underscores the public's deep interest,' said Seni Tienabeso, vice president of ABC News Live and Specialized Units. 'We are committed to approaching this story with care, recognizing the seriousness of the allegations and the courage of those who have come forward, and our team remains focused on reporting with integrity and respect for all involved.'
ABC News' multi-platform approach to covering the trial also includes the podcast Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy, special episodes of Impact x Nightline, and a weekly series on Hulu, Diddy on Trial: As It Happened, which debuted May 25. Hosted by The View co-host and former federal prosecutor Sunny Hostin, the docuseries features a weekly roundtable discussion and re-enactments of testimony and moments inside the courtroom.
