The United States (US) Justice Department has launched an investigation into five major television networks over their joint coverage of President Donald Trump, the New York Times reported on Saturday.
The newspaper cited six people familiar with the investigation. The networks named are ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News. A Justice Department spokesperson told the New York Times that the investigation would determine whether the networks violated antitrust laws.
“Members of the television press pool have proudly boycotted covering White House events. Group boycotts among commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act,” the spokesperson said.
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The spokesperson added that the department’s Antitrust Division was investigating whether the news organisations had broken the law. Reuters said the Justice Department and the networks had not immediately responded to requests for comment.
The investigation follows a brief suspension of pool coverage after Trump barred CNN, Politico and MS Now from the White House. The networks later resumed coverage of the Republican president. CNN is one of five broadcasters in the primary White House television pool, alongside ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC.
The networks share the costs of covering the president. They also take turns organising coverage and distribute footage to media outlets across the United States.
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