As he seeks his third straight Republican presidential nomination, the former president's live appearances "still present an unsolved riddle for many news outlets," says The Associated Press.
CNN, MSNBC and some streaming outlets started — then stopped — showing Trump’s speech after Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary.
"Outlets weigh whether an event’s newsworthiness justifies live coverage when there’s a risk Trump will make false statements that are difficult, if not impossible, to correct in real time — or go completely off script with something entirely unexpected," says AP.
"I think that we will continue to have these conversations and make the decisions on a case-by-case basis, based on what the event is," says Mary Hager, executive editor for politics at CBS News.
"I don’t know why anyone has to take him live," says Jonathan Klein, a news consultant and former CNN president.
Responsible news organizations should monitor what Trump says and later use material, Klein says.
"I’m not saying don’t air it," he says. "I’m just saying make sure what you air is truthful, accurate and that you’re able to offer perspective."
It takes discipline, though, says AP. "Live coverage of events is the go-to move for cable networks, which thrive on a sense of urgency. Network producers who decide to delay face enormous pressure, particularly if control-room monitors tuned to their competitors show them going live."
Klein says producers need reminders that most viewers don’t watch news coverage with a remote ready to click away just because another network is carrying something live.
Outlets also face charges of censorship. Fox News’ Sean Hannity and Jesse Watters both did segments on rivals’ decisions not to show Trump’s full speech after the Iowa caucuses. "Media censors democracy," was the onscreen message on Watters’ show.
"I am worried that the media has a plan, and we saw it play out last night, to just censor this man," Kayleigh McEnany, former White House press secretary under Trump and now a Fox analyst, told Hannity the night after the Iowa caucuses.
Comments