White House blocks major news outlets from briefings

The tensions between the Trump Administration and the free press continues to worsen as US President Donald Trump blocked the New York Times, CNN, the Los Angel Times and Politico from Friday’s press briefing.

While the major television networks were invited preference was given to conservative outlets such as Breitbart, The Washington Times and One American News Network.  The New York Times executive editor released a statement saying “We strongly protest this exclusion of The New York Times and other news organisations. Free media access to a transparent government is obviously of crucial national interest.”

Journalists from The New York Times, CNN and Politico were barred from attending a White House briefing https://t.co/em0XsxFiVI pic.twitter.com/zp5qJGXOsw

— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 25, 2017

This also comes at a time that Politico released a story where a former Trump communications director, Sam Nunberg, told them that the way that staff keep President Trump off the social media site Twitter is to make sure his media is full of stories that praise him.  He told Politico that if the President “was upset about unfair coverage, it was productive to show him that he was getting fair coverage from outlets that were persuadable”.  He added, “The same media that our base digests and prefers is going to be the base for his support. I would assume the president would like to see positive and preferential treatment from those outlets and that would help the operation overall.”

Major news network CNN also made comment on air and posted to social media and called the move “Un-American”.

.@jaketapper: This White House does not value an independent press. There is a word for that: Un-American. https://t.co/Ks7fCmAwl0 pic.twitter.com/Az3TcXomkg

— CNN (@CNN) February 25, 2017

President Trump took to Twitter as well for his response saying “FAKE NEWS media knowingly doesn’t tell the truth. A great danger to our country.”

FAKE NEWS media knowingly doesn't tell the truth. A great danger to our country. The failing @nytimes has become a joke. Likewise @CNN. Sad!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017

What do you think of the situation?  Could it happen in Australia?  Do you think that it will?