Opening statements from the prosecution and the defense, as well as the first witness to be summoned, are the Monday highlights of former President Donald Trump’s New York hush money criminal trial.
Unfortunately, for the cable news networks and TV viewers, none of that courtroom footage is available as cameras or audio of the proceedings are not allowed.
This hiccup has forced the cable news networks to employ creative methods to capture courtroom action.
CNN offered special coverage of the proceedings featuring Anderson Cooper, Caitlin Collins and Paula Reid in downtown New York. Meanwhile, Jake Tapper, Laura Coates, Dana Bash, Eli Honig, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Tim Parlatore and Jamie Gangel were covering in CNN’s Washington, D.C., studios.
During the proceedings, CNN had an on-air feed of live updates from inside the courtroom, which occupied a quarter of its screen. The feed’s information is being provided by CNN reporters who are seated inside the courtroom and sharing their observations.
CNN and MSNBC are showing real-time text updates from the Trump trial courtroom. Here’s @PaulaReidCNN explaining how the info is being relayed pic.twitter.com/U00BvbU0ZP
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) April 22, 2024
Over at MSNBC, regularly scheduled anchors provided coverage of the trial. They, too, had a dedicated on-screen graphic providing a feed of courtroom updates. MSNBC’s feed mostly summarized the proceedings as they were rolling along.
.@mitchellreports and @ChrisJansing continue special coverage of opening statements in former President Trump’s New York criminal trial.
Watch @MSNBC for the latest developments. pic.twitter.com/aOu3ZZVvd4
— MSNBC Public Relations (@MSNBCPR) April 22, 2024
In addition, Rachel Maddow was in the courtroom today and read the opening statements from former President Trump’s New York criminal trial to MSNBC’s Chris Jansing and Andrea Mitchell. Maddow will lead special coverage on Monday night at 8 p.m. ET on MSNBC.
Picture courtesy of MSNBC.
Meanwhile, Fox News covered the important parts of the proceeding but focused primarily on the student protests taking place at Columbia University in New York.