US justice department investigates TV networks over Trump pool coverage
The US Department of Justice is investigating major television networks to determine if their temporary suspension of White House pool coverage violated antitrust laws. The networks had halted the shared coverage system after the Trump administration restricted access for specific news outlets.
Why it matters
This investigation raises significant questions regarding the intersection of federal antitrust law, media freedom, and the government's relationship with the press.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, The row over the White House pool affected live TV coverage of Trump events last month
The US justice department (DoJ) says it is investigating several television networks over whether they broke federal competition laws when they recently suspended pool coverage of President Donald Trump.
The agency has asked ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News to hand over communications related to the White House TV pool, a system where networks switch off covering the president and providing the footage to other publications.
The networks temporarily suspended this system last month for several days after the president blocked CNN, MS Now and Politico from the White House.
Members of the pool share their material - pictures and descriptions of the president's movements - with the wider media.
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