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US Justice Department investigates major TV networks over suspected boycott coordination
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The US Department of Justice is investigating several major US television networks over suspected illegal coordination in their coverage of President Donald Trump, according to a New York Times report citing six people familiar with the matter. The networks named are ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News. A Justice Department spokesperson said that "joint boycotts among competitors can violate antitrust law" and that the antitrust division is examining whether the news companies broke competition rules. The investigation follows a brief period in which the networks jointly paused their Trump coverage after the president excluded CNN, Politico and MSNBC from the White House; coverage was later resumed. CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC form the White House television pool, sharing costs and rotating organization duties. Neither the Justice Department nor the networks initially responded to Reuters requests for comment.
Source report
US President Donald Trump. Source: Alex Brandon/AP/dpa
The US Department of Justice is investigating several major US television networks on suspicion of illegal collusion in their coverage of President Donald Trump, according to a media report. The New York Times reported this, citing six people familiar with the matter. The networks involved are ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News.
Antitrust Concerns
"Joint boycotts among competitors can violate antitrust law," the newspaper quoted a Justice Department spokesperson as saying. "The Antitrust Division is merely investigating whether these news organizations violated antitrust laws." Neither the department nor the networks initially responded to a request for comment from the news agency Reuters.
Background
According to the report, the investigation stems from the TV networks briefly suspending their joint coverage of Trump. This occurred after the president excluded CNN, Politico, and MSNBC from the White House. They later resumed coverage.
CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox News, and NBC form the White House television pool. In this so-called pool reporting arrangement, the networks share costs, take turns organizing coverage, and provide material to other media outlets.
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Source
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Part of this Story
US Justice Department Opens Antitrust Probe of Five TV Networks Over Trump Pool Suspension