I wouldn't be so sure about that. They may hold their noses, but if it brings ratings, they'll air it (though probably a soft-focus softball interview).
This is from an article talking about Barbara Walters stepping down from ABC's 20/20:
The "get," the grab of a celebrity interview subject, is an increasingly important part of network news operations and Walters, along with ABC News colleague Diane Sawyer and NBC's Katie Couric, has been among the fiercest competitors.Among Walters' major "20/20" interview subjects were Cuban President Fidel Castro, Christopher Reeve after his riding accident, a post-indictment Martha Stewart, Sen. Hillary Clinton about her autobiography, and Patricia Hearst.
Her March 1999 interview with Monica Lewinsky drew a staggering 48.5 million viewers.