Day one of the anti-Trump lawsuit trial: no network and no camera, curiosity persists nonetheless.

The civil fraud case against Donald Trump, the former president, has begun in New York as he tries to fill the gap left by the courtroom camera ban.

Before heading to court this morning, he spoke to the media outside the courtroom, attacking New York State Attorney General Letitia James and criticizing Judge Arthur Engoron.

After the lunch break, Trump gave another angry statement as he left the chamber. And he did it again on his way back inside. "I want to watch this witch-hunting season myself," he said.

Fox News showed live coverage of his remarks, while CNN and MSNBC used them sparingly, often with correspondents speaking in the background of a videotape of Trump talking to reporters. CNN did fact-checking, and MSNBC put the information on the screen on the bottom right of the courtroom door.

There was a glimpse of how networks can cover Trump's criminal trials, including those in which cameras or audio have long been banned.

The former president and host of "The Celebrity Apprentice" seemed determined to have his statements dominate the news given the lack of video or audio from the courtroom, but some of the networks were reluctant to broadcast his statements because of his penchant for spreading misinformation.

He suggested the judge be disbarred and even face criminal charges for "election interference".

A coalition of news organizations last week asked the judge to allow camera access to the opening and closing of the trial, but Engoron only allowed a short video showing Trump sitting at the defense table, with James in the front row of the courtroom just a few feet away.

Engoron acknowledged the cameras by removing his glasses and smiling for a brief moment. That led reporters to relay to viewers, throughout the morning, what was going on inside the courtroom.

On CNN, Paula Reed argued that Trump's presence underscores the importance of allowing cameras in the trial because the public can see for themselves what's going on.

When it comes to Trump's first criminal trial for election collusion, which is set to begin March 4, camera access may be even more limited than in the New York fraud case.

Some members of the House and Senate, including Rep. Adam Schiff (D-California), are calling on the Federal Judicial Conference to allow cameras, while former Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coli told Politico that according to the data so far, "many people will be hearing about [the trial] secondhand through isolated media ecosystems and from sources whose fidelity to the facts is questionable at best.

The judges' conference was held in September and loosened some restrictions in civil and bankruptcy cases, but not in criminal trials. This makes it more likely that networks will rely on first-person descriptions of what is happening in the courtroom or in the observer room.

In a preliminary hearing in a D.C. federal court case, reporters used an observer room with audio streaming of the proceedings and permission to use electronic devices. During the trial, networks relied on commentators and reporters for details and analysis.

For now, only Trump's Georgia trial is likely to be televised, as cameras are allowed in state courts unless there is a compelling reason to ban them.

In Trump's civil fraud case, charges are filed against him, his children and his companies for overstating assets and his net worth while seeking financing from banks and other institutions. Engoron ruled on most of the case last week, concluding that the former president committed fraud and deprived the Trumps of control over several properties in New York. The court hearing is intended mainly to determine the amount of damages.