Major U.S. TV Networks Suspend White House Pool Coverage Over Trump Media Ban

Major television networks have suspended their White House pool coverage after the Trump administration prevented CNN from carrying out its scheduled pool duties, Joey Garrison reported for USA TODAY.

Major networks suspend pooled coverage of President Donald Trump's events. [Photo: Matthew Paulson Flickr]

The five networks that make up the television pool — ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News and CNN — declined to provide the shared television feed normally distributed to other media organizations for presidential pool events.

Bryan Boughton, Washington bureau chief of Fox News and chair of the television pool, announced the decision in a Sept. 21 email to pool members.

“This follows the White House's position preventing CNN from fulfilling its assigned pool duties,” Boughton wrote.

He also said there would be no replacement pool for the affected presidential events.

The action followed the White House's decision to bar reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.

The three organizations subsequently filed a lawsuit challenging the administration's restrictions.

The television pool normally operates on a rotating basis, with one network providing camera crews and a live feed that is shared with the other pool members and distributed to additional news organizations.

The system is particularly important when physical space limits the number of cameras that can cover presidential events.

Trump's first presidential event without the regular television pool was a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new White House helipad. The White House continued to provide its own livestream.

Reports said the president's remarks were difficult to hear because of helicopter noise during the event.