Representatives from the six broadcast and cable TV news networks are meeting with Pres.-elect Donald Trump today. Insiders tell us the heads of ABC News, CNN, Fox News, NBC News and MSNBC will meet with the Trump at 1 p.m. ET at Trump Tower. We hear David Rhodes, president of CBS News will not be attending but other CBS Newsers will be there. Rhodes is traveling for work. Chris Isham, CBS’s Washington Bureau Chief, was there.
C-SPAN’s elevator cam at Trump Tower showed the arrival of CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker and anchor Wolf Blitzer, NBC News president Deborah Turness, Nightly News anchor Lester Holt, and Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd, and MSNBC president Phil Griffin. From CBS, John Dickerson, Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Norah O’Donnell; and from ABC News, Martha Raddatz, George Stephanopoulos and David Muir. Also in attendance: ABC News president James Goldston and Fox News co-presidents Jack Abernethy and Bill Shine.
More | 2:16 p.m. ET: The meeting appears to be ending as George Stephanopoulos was spotted in the lobby, departing.
The unprecedented gathering follows Trump’s public disdain for most of the media which was evident throughout the election. Beyond what he often considered unfair coverage, the pre-election polling and election day exit polls appeared to predict a Hillary Clinton win. The media contempt was expressed again this morning by Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s campaign manager, during an interview on CNN’s New Day.
“This network will always focus on the divisions…How about accepting the election results & letting @realDonaldTrump form a government?” https://t.co/HhDGw8XIPs
— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) November 21, 2016
(Photos: Howard Mortman/C-SPAN)