US broadcast networks suspend White House pool coverage in protest of Trump media ban
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ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC halted televised White House pool coverage after the Trump administration barred CNN and other outlets, citing concerns over press freedom.
Major U.S. television news networks announced they would not provide pool coverage of presidential events after the White House barred CNN and two other outlets from the premises. The decision, made by ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC, was presented as a show of solidarity with CNN, which had been designated as the pool broadcaster for Monday’s events.
"Effective today, the TV pool will not be covering events designated as pool coverage of the President," wrote Bryan Boughton, Fox News’s Washington bureau chief and chair of the TV pool, in an email to fellow pool members. He added that the move follows the White House’s action preventing CNN from fulfilling its duties.
The suspension meant that viewers watching the White House feed could see only the president’s mouth moving during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new helipad, with no audio commentary. Print, radio and wire services continued to report on the president’s activities.
Several newspapers, including the Washington Post, the New York Times and the Associated Press, also delayed publishing photographs from the White House pool until after midnight Eastern Time, describing the step as part of a collective effort.
The five networks issued a joint statement emphasizing the public’s interest in independent information and asserting that no administration should restrict a news organization because of its reporting.
The ban, announced by President Trump on Friday, targeted CNN, Politico and MS Now, with the president alleging the outlets “constantly write or report fiction and lies.” Legal action was filed by the barred organizations on Monday, seeking a temporary injunction to restore their White House credentials.