The five major television networks that make up the White House TV pool have suspended pooled coverage of President Donald Trump after the White House prevented CNN from carrying out its scheduled duties — with ABC, CBS, NBC and even Fox News refusing to step in and replace it.
The decision means the normal independent television camera crew that follows the US president and shares footage with broadcasters around the world is, for now, no longer operating.
CNN had been scheduled to provide the White House television pool on Monday, 21 September, including coverage of Trump’s trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
But after the Trump administration barred CNN from the White House, the other networks faced a choice: one of them could take CNN’s place or they could refuse to participate.
They refused.
ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News and NBC News subsequently issued a rare joint statement defending independent press coverage.
“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government,” the networks said.
They added that an administration should not restrict a news organisation because it objects to its reporting. The joint statement was published here.
No Replacement For CNN
Fox News Washington bureau chief Bryan Boughton, who is currently chairing the television pool, then informed journalists that pooled television coverage of presidential events was being suspended.
“Effective today, the TV pool will not be covering events designated as pool coverage of the President,” Boughton wrote.
CNN would not be replaced by another network. TheWrap reported.
The White House television pool normally rotates between CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News.
Rather than every network sending its own camera crew everywhere the president goes, one network provides the video on behalf of the pool and distributes it to other broadcasters.
That system is particularly important when space is restricted or when the president is travelling.
The suspension therefore does not mean that Trump cannot appear on television or that no camera can film him. The White House can provide its own footage and some public events can still be covered independently.
What has disappeared is the normal independent network pool camera which accompanies the president and provides footage to the wider news media. Associated Press reported.
Fox News Joins The Protest
Perhaps the most significant participant in the action is Fox News.
Trump has repeatedly praised Fox compared with other mainstream television networks and, while announcing the bans, said he received fair coverage from Breitbart and “a little bit from Fox”.
Yet Fox joined CNN, ABC, CBS and NBC in refusing to continue the television pool under the White House restrictions. The Guardian reported.
The decision turns what could have remained a dispute between Trump and CNN into a much broader confrontation between the White House and the television industry over whether an administration should be able to exclude individual news organisations because it dislikes their coverage.
CNN, Politico And MS NOW Sue Trump Administration
The dispute began on Friday when Trump announced that CNN, MS NOW and Politico were being banned from the White House “effective immediately”.
Trump accused the organisations of repeatedly publishing what he called “FAKE NEWS” and suggested other outlets could also be excluded.
He later said the action was the result of their coverage over a number of years rather than one particular report. Reuters reported.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico have now jointly sued the Trump administration in federal court.
The organisations argue that removing their White House access because the administration objects to their journalism violates protections for freedom of speech and the press under the First Amendment, as well as due-process protections under the Fifth Amendment.
They are seeking a temporary restraining order that would restore their access while the wider case is considered.
A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, 23 September. Reuters reported.
Independent Cameras Fall Silent
The consequences of the broadcasters’ decision became visible almost immediately.
When Trump appeared at a White House event before travelling to New York on Monday, footage was still available from the White House itself, but the usual independent pool operation — including its professional audio equipment — was absent.
With Marine One running nearby, Trump could be seen speaking but much of what he said was difficult to hear. UpNorthLive reported.
The dispute also affected coverage of Trump’s journey to the United Nations.
CNN had originally been due to travel as the television pool network. When it was prevented from doing so, none of the other four networks agreed to replace it. Axios reported.
The result is an unusually united response from organisations that are normally fierce competitors — and which span markedly different editorial positions.
For now, the five major television networks have effectively told the White House that if one member of the television pool can be excluded because the administration dislikes its reporting, the others will not simply take its place.
