TV Networks Halt Trump Pool Coverage Over CNN Ban
Is this a necessary stand for press freedom or proof the networks act as a political bloc?
Above: The press covers Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Sept. 18. Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The Spin
Anti-Trump narrative
When the White House pulls credentials because it dislikes the coverage, every newsroom can be next. So shutting down the TV pool is the only response that carries weight. The public has a real stake in independent reporting about the president, and strongly worded statements alone have never stopped this administration. America can't have state TV.
Pro-Trump narrative
The First Amendment guarantees the right to publish, not a reserved seat in the Oval Office. Access to the president is a privilege that can be forfeited. Five networks refusing to send a camera is a walkout that proves they operate as a political bloc. Independent and conservative outlets will cover the events instead.
