Media News Daily: Top Stories for 09/21/2026

CNN, MS NOW and Politico Sue Over White House Ban

CNN, MS NOW, and Politico have filed a federal lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s decision to bar their reporters from the White House. The outlets argue the restrictions amount to viewpoint discrimination and retaliation for coverage the president considers negative, and they are seeking emergency relief to restore press credentials and access. Reporters from all three organizations were turned away from White House grounds after the ban took effect. (Read More) (Reuters Rating)

CNN Removed From White House TV Pool Rotation

The White House removed CNN from a scheduled television pool assignment covering President Trump and his trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. CNN had been due to serve as the primary TV pool network under the longstanding rotation shared by major broadcasters, but White House guidance omitted a primary television network after Trump announced the outlet’s ban. The change came as CNN, MS NOW, and Politico moved forward with their First Amendment lawsuit. (Read More) (Mediaite Rating)

Federal Register Used Alibaba AI Search Tool

The Federal Register website briefly used Alibaba’s Qwen artificial intelligence model to power a search feature for proposed regulations and public comments before removing it following scrutiny. The episode drew attention because the FBI had recently accused Alibaba of copying technology from U.S. AI company Anthropic. Experts said the tool’s use on publicly available information likely limited immediate security risks, but lawmakers raised broader concerns about federal agencies relying on Chinese-developed AI models and whether data could leave secure systems. (Read More) (Reuters Rating)