The US Department of Justice is investigating whether ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News violated antitrust laws after they temporarily suspended general television coverage of President Donald Trump. The investigation was first reported by The New York Times, citing six people familiar with the department's actions. The department confirmed the information.
The investigation is aimed at the five networks' decision not to perform their duties on the White House television pool. The pool is a system in which television stations take turns filming presidential events and then share the video with other media outlets.
“The Antitrust Division simply reviews whether these news organizations have violated antitrust laws,“ said Justice Department spokeswoman Emily Covington.She said group boycotts between commercial competitors can violate U.S. law, including the Sherman Act. The department has sought information and documents related to the operation of the television pool. The networks did not immediately comment.
How the coverage was cut off
The networks cut off their general coverage after the Trump administration banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from working from the White House grounds. The three media outlets filed lawsuits, challenging the restrictions on their access.
A federal court subsequently temporarily restored access to CNN, MS NOW, and Politico. After the court's intervention, the television pool resumed its work, but the dispute over CNN's participation in some of the rotations continued.
The Justice Department's investigation also affects CNN, although it was the restrictions against the network that prompted the collective decision of the television networks. The other participants in the pool are ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox News.
The investigation and the dispute over access to the White House
The case raises both questions about antitrust rules and the freedom of the media to determine how to cover the president's activities. The Committee to Protect Journalists criticized the investigation.
“The government should not use antitrust investigations to intimidate media outlets that protect press access,“ said Jose Zamora, the organization's regional director for the Americas.At this point, the Justice Department has not announced whether the investigation will lead to formal charges or legal action. It has only confirmed that the antitrust division is gathering information to determine whether the coordinated temporary suspension of the TV pool violated the law.
Sources: apnews.com, washingtonpost.com, investing.com