(7-17-26) What do you think about the TV networks that did not air President Trump’s speech to the nation live?

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BACKGROUND

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Based on reports about President Trump’s primetime address on Thursday, July 16, most of the major U.S. television outlets chose not to carry the speech live on their main television channels. Instead, some streamed it online or covered it afterward with analysis and fact-checking. 

The major outlets that did not air the speech live on their primary TV networks were:

  • ABC – Did not interrupt primetime programming; instead made the speech available on its digital platform. 
  • NBC – Also declined to carry it live on its main broadcast network, opting for digital streaming. 
  • CNN – Chose commentary and analysis rather than airing the speech live on its primary channel. 
  • MS NOW – Did not air the address live, instead providing analysis and discussion. 

By contrast:

  • Fox News carried the speech live in full. 
  • CBS News aired part of the speech live but joined after it had begun and cut away before it concluded, followed by live fact-checking. 

The decisions by ABC, NBC, CNN, and MS NOW were widely reported as editorial judgments related to concerns about broadcasting unverified election-related claims live, while supporters of the president criticized those decisions.