Bloggers? Did Someone Say Bloggers?
Posted: January 16, 2017 | Author: Pundit Planet | Filed under: Mediasphere, Politics, White House | Tags: Barack Obama, Buzzfeed, CNN, Donald Trump, Fox News Channel, Jim Acosta, News conference, Press secretary, White House, White House press corps |Leave a commentOliver Laughland reports: Talk radio hosts and bloggers could be invited to official White House press briefings once the Trump administration takes office, under a highly irregular proposal being floated that may also remove briefings from the West Wing.
“Some of the media outlets that I deal with are fake news more so than anybody. I could name them, but I won’t bother. You have a few sitting right in front of us.”
Trump’s pick for White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, said on Sunday that due to “off the chart” interest in the new administration, the president-elect was considering moving briefings from the James S Brady press briefing room, which has been used by presidents to address the media since 1970, to a venue with a greater capacity.
“They’re very, very dishonest people, but I think it’s just something we’re going to have to live with. I guess the advantage I have is that I can speak back.”
— President-elect Donald Trump
A report published by Esquire magazine on Saturday indicated the venue could be inside the Old Executive Office Building, just west of the White House.
Spicer argued the proposal would mean “you can involve more people, be more transparent, have more accessibility”. He suggested that this would mean outlets that are not traditionally part of the White House press corps would be able to ask questions during presidential press briefings.
“The WHCA will fight to keep the briefing room and West Wing access to senior administration officials open. We object strenuously to any move that would shield the president and his advisers from the scrutiny of an on-site White House press corps.”
— Jeff Mason, the WHCA president and Reuters White House correspondent
There’s a lot of talk radio and bloggers and people that can’t fit in right now and maybe don’t have a permanency because they’re not part of the Washington elite media,” Spicer said, “but to allow them an opportunity to ask the press secretary or the president a question is a positive thing. It’s more democratic.”
Around 200 journalists make up the White House press corps. The Brady press briefing room holds 49 seats for major media organisations, which are granted space by the White House Correspondent Association [WHCA]. The Guardian is among those outlets allocated a space.
It remains unclear how the proposal would be implemented, but it is likely to be interpreted as a hostile rebuke to conventional media outlets around the country.
Jeff Mason, the WHCA president and Reuters White House correspondent, said in a statement he would meet with Spicer on Sundayto learn more.
“The WHCA will fight to keep the briefing room and West Wing access to senior administration officials open,” Mason said in a statement. “We object strenuously to any move that would shield the president and his advisers from the scrutiny of an on-site White House press corps.”
During a chaotic press conference at Trump Tower on Wednesday…(read more)
Source: The Guardian
Related articles
- This is the CNN reporter that just got into a yelling match with Donald Trump (mashable.com)
- #RealNews: CNN’s Jim Acosta Claims Trump’s Press Secretary Threatened Him With THIS (bossip.com)
- Trump Insults CNN Reporter, Calling Network ‘Fake News’ (newsy.com)
- Donald Trump says there will be ‘consequences’ for Buzzfeed as he attacks CNN and mocks BBC (telegraph.co.uk)
- Spicer: Trump admin won’t ban any news outlets from White House press briefings (hotair.com)
- Fox News names John Roberts chief White House correspondent (businessinsider.com)
- Trump Denies, Denounces Reports On Russia Ties: ‘A Disgrace’ (denver.cbslocal.com)
- FACT CHECK: Trump aide challenges press practices (sfgate.com)
- Obama attends Florida wedding of longtime aide, golf partner (bostonherald.com)