Trump calls for revocation of ABC and NBC broadcast licenses after networks decline to air his primetime speech.
President Donald Trump said ABC and NBC should have their broadcast licenses revoked for not airing his primetime address on election security on Thursday. ABC, NBC, and CNN did not carry the speech on their main broadcast or cable channels, instead streaming it on digital platforms; CBS aired it live. Trump claimed the networks were part of a "plot" against him.
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Divergence score
This event sits in the top 5% of divergence this week. 9 outlets covered it, splitting into 8 framing camps across 4 bias groups.
8 camps
4 bias groups
The spectrum · how 9 outlets placed this story
LeftCenterRight
Globe and Mail
Reason
HuffPost
Breitbart
Washington Post
The Hill
Politico
Reuters
Washington Examiner
Supportive of action
Neutral
Dismissive
Critical
Alarmist
International angle
Widest split · the two outlets furthest apart, and who published first
Furthest apart on this story
HuffPost
Trump: Networks That Didn't Air Primetime Speech Live Should Have Licenses Revoked
Escalation of press freedom attacks · negative
Breitbart
Carville: Networks Should Have Aired Trump's Speech to Show He's 'Literally Crazy'
Strategic critique of network decision · neutral
First to report
- HuffPostfirst
- Washington Post+2.7 h
- Reuters+8.5 h
- Politico+10.9 h
- Globe and Mail+12.0 h
- Reason+14.1 h
- The Hill+16.3 h
- Breitbart+17.7 h
- Washington Examiner+155.0 h
By each outlet's earliest publish time in this story. Feeds that index slowly can appear later than they printed.
The split, in one line
The right frames the refusal as hiding the truth from voters, while the left warns of authoritarian attacks on press freedom. Wires and mainstream outlets emphasize the legal and historical context that licenses belong to local affiliates, not networks.
How each outlet covered it
Two readings of the same facts
The left and the right lead with different language. The loaded words each chose are highlighted.
THE LEFT
“Trump: Networks That Didn't Air Primetime Speech Live Should Have Licenses Revoked”HP HuffPost LEFT
47DIVERGENCE
THE RIGHT
“Carville: Networks Should Have Aired Trump's Speech to Show He's 'Literally Crazy'”B Breitbart RIGHT
DOWN THE MIDDLE
“FCC commissioner says Trump call to revoke ABC, NBC licenses is unconstitutional” · Globe and Mail, The Hill, Politico, Reuters
+Hide the full sourcingSee how all 9 outlets put it
LEFT2
HPHuffPost Trump: Networks That Didn't Air Primetime Speech Live Should Have Licenses Revoked 56d ago WPWashington Post Trump says ABC, NBC licenses should be revoked over refusal to air speech on election integrity 56d ago CENTER3
HThe Hill Carville criticizes CNN, ABC, NBC for not airing Trump speech 56d ago PPolitico 'Royal decree for news coverage': Why Trump's license threats are different this time 56d ago RReuters FCC commissioner says Trump call to revoke ABC, NBC licenses is unconstitutional 56d ago RIGHT-CENTER1
RReason Trump Threatens To Revoke ABC and NBC Licenses for Not Broadcasting His Election Speech 56d ago 8 tracked claims across 9 outlets
Fact ledger
All8Claimed2Corroborated6
2/9
Claimed
James Carville said networks should have aired the speech to show Trump is 'literally crazy.'
Corroborated
Disputed
7 more tracked claimsSign up free to see the full ledger