The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an antitrust investigation into five major television networks following their brief suspension of White House press pool duties last month, federal officials confirmed Saturday, Oct. 10.
The inquiry focuses on ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC, which collectively operate the rotating camera pool that supplies video of presidential events to media outlets worldwide. The networks were alerted to the inquiry on Friday, The New York Times first reported, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Justice Department spokesperson Emily Covington stated on Saturday that investigators are examining whether the collaborative protest ran afoul of competition statutes. “Members of the television press pool have proudly boycotted covering White House events. Group boycotts among commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act,” Covington said in a statement reported by CBS News and TheWrap. She added that the Antitrust Division “is simply investigating to determine whether these news organizations have violated the antitrust laws.”
Protest over credential revocations
The dispute stems from a Sept. 18 decision by the Trump administration to pull the press passes of reporters from CNN, Politico and MS NOW. President Donald Trump cited what he termed “purposely negative stories” and alleged “FAKE NEWS!” as grounds for the move, according to reports by CBS News and TheWrap. Formal administration letters sent to those three organizations argued that articles concerning the ongoing war with Iran, a new executive mansion ballroom and the Republican midterm convention posed national security risks and breached decorum rules.
In response to the exclusions, the remaining broadcasters declined to substitute for CNN when its turn in the pool rotation arose. That decision caused a temporary blackout of pooled footage for high-profile events, including a state visit to Washington by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The pool resumed normal operational duties on Sept. 25, TheWrap reported.
At the time of the walkout, the five broadcast organizations defended their action in a joint statement, stating that “the public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government” and that no administration should exclude an outlet over editorial disagreements, according to CBS News.
Television networks have shared technical responsibilities and rotated White House pool duties for decades to distribute costs and guarantee media access in confined spaces. Fox News, ABC News, NBC News and CNN either declined to comment or did not immediately reply to inquiries on Saturday, Variety reported.
Court battles and ongoing restrictions
Following the credential revocations in September, CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a joint lawsuit in federal court asserting violations of their First and Fifth Amendment protections. The news groups argued in court filings that officials cannot strip established press credentials on an administrative whim without due process, Variety reported.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly granted a temporary restraining order forcing the administration to restore the reporters’ credentials. While that order was slated to expire earlier this week, Judge Kelly extended the injunction through Tuesday as legal proceedings continue, CBS News reported.
Even with their hard passes restored, journalists from the affected outlets continue to face physical restrictions. The administration has asserted that credentials do not guarantee entry into restricted areas such as Air Force One or the Oval Office, and Politico reporters were barred from traveling on an official trip earlier this week, according to TheWrap.
Corporate changes have also reshuffled the media landscape surrounding the fight. CBS News and CNN now share a corporate parent, Skydance, following the conclusion of a merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery earlier this week, CBS News noted.
What remains unclear is how the Justice Department plans to structure a formal antitrust case against a cooperative news-gathering pool system that has operated without challenge for generations. The immediate future of reporter access hangs on Judge Kelly’s upcoming decision before the temporary restraining order lapses Tuesday.
