Washington. The ongoing dispute between US President Donald Trump and the media has once again intensified. The White House on Saturday barred CNN from boarding Air Force One during Trump's Tennessee trip. CNN was to provide coverage as part of its turn in the White House TV press pool traveling with the President. Conservative network Real America's Voice News was added in its place. This development has happened at a time when journalists from three banned media organizations were allowed to re-enter the White House complex a day earlier.
Real America's Voice replaces CNN
In accordance with guidelines issued by the White House, CNN was not given a seat on Air Force One during Trump's trip to Tennessee on Saturday. Trump is scheduled to watch a college football game between the University of Tennessee and the University of Texas in Knoxville. Real America's Voice News was given the responsibility of coverage in place of CNN.
CNN was scheduled to accompany the President as part of the scheduled rotation of the TV press pool for the trip. In this pool, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News take turns providing limited video coverage of the President's visits and events and sharing the footage with other networks.
Video pool activated again on Friday
Interestingly, the White House TV video pool was activated again on Friday. After the Trump administration banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, other major networks halted pool coverage in a show of solidarity. Journalists from banned media outlets were allowed back into the White House complex after a judge issued an interim order and the pool resumed operations on Friday.
On Friday, CNN also covered Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the National Archives. This was the first time in several days that live video of Trump reached TV audiences via CNN.
Journalists got entry after court order
The Trump administration last week blocked White House access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico. All three institutions moved the court against this and raised questions related to freedom of the press and media access to government officials under the First Amendment. A federal judge on Thursday issued an interim order directing the administration to restore access to these institutions.
On Friday, journalists from banned institutions returned to the White House complex with cameras, laptops and microphones. However, the very next day CNN was barred from boarding the presidential plane.
Why is the issue of press pool important?
The purpose of the White House TV Press Pool is to record the President's activities at limited space events, particularly on Air Force One and other presidential trips, using a small number of reporters and camera teams and share the video with other media outlets. The five major American TV networks take turns performing this responsibility.
Because of this arrangement, CNN has to cover the President not only for its own network, but also for other members of the pool. Therefore, the impact of CNN's removal from Air Force One is not limited only to its own coverage, but also to the functioning of the pool.
The situation is changing rapidly amid controversy
CNN referred to its editorial coverage on Friday instead of commenting separately on the development. CNN media analyst Brian Stelter said on social media that CNN had received responsibility for the video pool for the National Archives program and that the White House had approved its credentials.
Meanwhile, Real America's Voice said this week that its presidential and White House pool coverage will be made available to other media organizations as well.
Amidst this entire incident, a legal and institutional dispute continues between the Trump administration and American media institutions regarding press access, coverage of the White House and rights related to the First Amendment. The further direction of this system will be decided by the pending cases in the courts and the next decisions of the administration.