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AT & T
Inc.
Chief Executive Randall Stephenson fired back at the White House over its decision to suspend the press credentials of a CNN match, saying officials had made it easier to get a press release.
The Trump administration said it was suspended for Jim Acosta, CNN 's White House correspondent, because he "placed his hands" on a white house. going to address him. Video of the press conference Mr. Acosta keeping a close look at the microphone and making contact with the intern.
"If the White House wants to pull someone's press credentials, there is a process," Mr. Stephenson said at The Wall Street Journal's WSJ Tech D.Live conference Monday. "That process must be followed, otherwise what is the criteria for pulling somebody's press credentials?"
"You did not like the line of questioning? Well, that kind of seems to be violative of our protections of freedom of the press, "he said.
Mr. Stephenson, who has headed the telecommunications giant since 2007, has taken over a new role in the media after AT & T has completed its $ 81 billion acquisition of Time Warner Inc. in June following a lengthy antitrust fight. Time Warner includes CNN and other media outlets.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted a video of the incident involving Mr. Acosta, who is one of the world's most influential actors. Corp, the parent company of the Journal.
"If the president does not like it in the press briefing room then it's a process that he does not like it," said Mr. Stephenson. "There has been no process followed."
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for late Monday.
Separately, Mr. Stephenson called again for clearer standards on net-neutrality rules, saying no company should be allowed to slow the content of another one.
"We do not really have legislative clarity," he said, adding that companies "should not be able to get to where you want to go."
Internet service providers "should not be allowed to throttle somebody else's content," he said, referring to the practice of slowing internet speeds. And he said any device should be allowed to connect to the internet without interference.
"There should be no blocking," said Mr. Stephenson.
Appeared in the November 13, 2018, print edition 'AT & T Chief White House Blasts Over Dispute With CNN.'
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