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US justice department probes TV networks over Trump pool
BBC News··6d ago
The US justice department said it is investigating several TV networks over suspended pool coverage of President Donald Trump. Officials asked ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News for pool-related communications. The department said a boycott could violate the Sherman Act on monopolistic business practices. The television networks have not yet commented on the inquiry.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Pool members usually share their material with the wider media, the BBC reported.
- A DoJ spokesperson said the Antitrust Division is checking whether antitrust laws were violated.
- White House pool access rules affect which outlets can cover limited presidential events.
What's Happening
- Last month, five networks paused presidential coverage for several days after credentials were withdrawn from CNN, MS Now and Politico.
- The White House later reinstated access after a judge's ruling in a lawsuit by those outlets.
- Trump had accused the blocked organisations of writing fiction or lies about his team.
Recent Press Pool Fights
- In February, the White House said it was taking control of the press pool from the White House Correspondents' Association.
- The same month, the administration moved to bar Associated Press staff from limited-access spaces over the term Gulf of Mexico.
- AP filed a lawsuit that remains ongoing, the BBC reported.
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