WASHINGTON: Major American television networks suspended their involvement on Monday in a rotating press pool covering President Donald Trump after three major news organisations sued the administration over being banned from the White House.
Broadcasters CNNand MS NO%Ç along with news outlet Politico, filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington seeking a temporary restraining order against Trump’s decision to bar them. The claim rests on the First Amendment’s guarantees of free speech and a free press.
Shortly after the filing, the five major US broadcasters ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC announced they were halting pool coverage of the White House in solidarity with CNN CNNhad been scheduled to serve Monday as the TV pool, a rotating assignment where one broadcaster films for all television outlets for the day.
The boycott means there will be no pooled coverage of Trump’s travel to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he is due to meet with world leaders.
‘The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government,’ the networks said in a joint statement.
‘No administration should restrict a news organisation because it objects to its reporting.
Bryan Boughton, Fox News Washington bureau chief and current TV pool chair, confirmed the decision in an email.
‘This is to advise that, effective today (Monday), the TV pool will not be covering events designated as pool coverage of the president, Boughton said.
‘This follows the White House’s position preventing CNN from fulfilling its assigned pool duties.
There will be no replacement pool put in place.
In their court filing, CNN, MS NOWand Politico called the ban a direct assault on the First Amendment.
‘Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference,’ the organisations said in a joint statement.
‘The government does not decide what the press reports or publishes.
Trump announced the ban on Friday, attributing it to cumulative negative stories. Journalists from the three outlets were denied access to the White House grounds Saturday and had their passes confiscated.
The Republican president defended the ban on his Truth Social network, claiming without evidence that the media posed a national security threat.-Agencies