US TV networks split on broadcasting Trump’s election-focused speech

NBC and CNN stayed away from White House speech, while Fox News, MS Now, CBS and some ABC affiliates aired it The US’s largest television stations split on whether to air Donald Trump’s White House address live on Thursday night, which was heavy on unproven accusations about the integrity of the 2020 election won by Joe Biden. While CNN, ABC and NBC chose not to air the speech live, CBS, Fox News and MS Now (formerly MSNBC) aired at least large portions of the speech live. ABC did not air the speech as a must-run broadcast, but some station affiliates – including the Washington DC station owned by the right-leaning broadcaster Sinclair – chose to air the speech. Instead of airing the speech as a special report, like CBS did, NBC chose to continue airing the previously scheduled nature documentary show The Americas. (CBS was scheduled to air the sitcom Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.) MS Now chose to air about half of the speech despite warnings from Jen Psaki, the network’s 9pm host and former Biden White House press secretary, who told viewers that it would be unlike a traditional White House address. “When you’re in the White House, these are selective moments a