DOJ investigates ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox over halt to White House pool coverage after reporters were barred from the building

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether five television networks violated federal antitrust law when they briefly stopped providing pooled coverage of President Donald Trump after the White House barred reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, the department said Saturday.

The networks under investigation are ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News. A Justice Department spokesperson said group boycotts among commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act and that the Antitrust Division is investigating whether the networks broke antitrust law.

The probe follows a dispute that began when the White House revoked the three outlets’ reporters’ credentials and denied them entry on September 19. A federal judge ordered their access restored on September 24, and the reporters returned to the White House.

The television press pool is a rotating group of news organizations that covers presidential events and shares footage with other outlets. The networks’ pause in pooled coverage came after the three news organizations were excluded from the White House.