NBC Reports Michelle Obama's China Trip, But Ignores Her Press Ban

Monday's NBC Nightly News gave a nice shout-out to First Lady Michelle Obama's trip to China without mentioning the controversy that no press contingent was allowed to accompany her and her daughters.

Anchor Brian Williams warmly recapped the Obamas' trip abroad: "They have walked along a section of the Great Wall, they have visited the incredible Terra Cotta army at 6,000 strong. And the First Lady has jumped rope by local invitation."

As NewsBusters reported earlier, the networks have ignored the controversy over the media being barred from the trip, since it is not considered "political" travel. NBC continued to ignore the controversy on Monday evening.

Earlier on Monday, CBS covered Obama's praise of "freedom of speech" in the U.S. with no sense of irony. Correspondent Jan Crawford also resorted to drawing from official White House footage for her report on the trip.

Below is a transcript of the segment:

NBC
NIGHTLY NEWS
3/24/14


BRIAN WILLIAMS: First Lady Michelle Obama, her mother, and both daughters continue a whirlwind tour of China, taking in the sights. They have walked along a section of the Great Wall, they have visited the incredible Terra Cotta army at 6,000 strong. And the First Lady has jumped rope by local invitation. Tomorrow in they will meet with students, then Wednesday they will visit a major Panda research facility.