Trump’s Primetime Speech Exposes Changing TV Network Coverage of Presidential Addresses
Television networks were divided over whether to broadcast President Donald Trump’s Thursday night primetime address, highlighting a broader shift in how broadcasters handle presidential speeches.
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ABC continued with a new episode of Press Your Luck, while NBC remained with its scheduled airing of The Americas. During his address, Trump condemned the networks' decision, describing it as part of a "plot."
Fox News chose to broadcast nearly the entire speech live. CBS also provided coverage by replacing a rerun of Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage with a Tony Dokoupil-hosted special report.
The contrast with earlier decades is notable. Networks once regularly interrupted primetime schedules for major presidential speeches, including Ronald Reagan’s address after the Challenger disaster, George H.W. Bush’s speech at the beginning of the Gulf War, and Jimmy Carter’s nationally televised "crisis of confidence" remarks.
That approach has changed over time. In 2014, all four major broadcast networks chose not to air Barack Obama’s immigration reform speech because it was considered too political. However, five years later, the same networks carried Trump’s border-wall address, replacing programs including Black-ish and FBI.
Reports also indicated that the White House did not submit the customary request asking broadcasters to provide airtime for Thursday’s speech. Trump instead announced he would deliver "really big news" and appeared to expect networks to adjust their programming.
Cable news channels followed their own strategies. CNN featured analysis from Kaitlan Collins and a panel of commentators while the speech played off-screen. MSNBC aired the first 17 minutes before turning to discussion, whereas Fox News carried the address live through its conclusion.