New York City Government

New York City has settled its lawsuit with producer Jordan McGraw, son of TV host Phil McGraw, clearing the way for release of the NYPD reality series "Behind the Badge" while giving the city sweeping editorial control. Under the March 27 agreement, McGraw Media must provide rough cuts of episodes to the NYPD and remove any content the department deems inaccurate, confidential, legally restricted, revealing of investigatory techniques, compromising to public safety or trust, or portraying the city or department in a negative light. The settlement follows a January suit in which the city accused McGraw’s team of violating a 2025 access contract by including footage of undercover officers, crime victims and witnesses, discussions of encrypted communications, and even an officer entering a station security code. The city had already abandoned the three‑year, up‑to‑17‑episodes‑per‑year deal late last year, just before Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office, and obtained a court order blocking McGraw from distributing any footage. The show is slated to air on Phil McGraw’s MeritTV platforms, but critics are likely to see the settlement’s veto power over “negative” content as a template for police‑approved reality programming rather than independent documentary work.