In a major break from established tradition, the White House will now decide which reporters get the coveted seats in the briefing room, n...
In a major break from established tradition, the White House will now decide which reporters get the coveted seats in the briefing room, not the White House Correspondents’ Association, Axios reported Sunday.
A senior White House official told Axios that the communications staff have formalized a plan for “fundamental restructuring of the briefing room, based on metrics more reflective of how media is consumed today.” The White House’s new layout will include reporters from digital outlets, print outlets, TV, and more. The digital group includes “new media” outlets, according to Axios, like The Daily Wire, Axios itself, Semafor, and influencers.
“The goal isn’t merely favorable coverage,” the White House official told Axios. “It’s truly an honest look at consumption [of the outlets’ coverage]. Influencers are important but it’s tough because they aren’t [equipped to provide] consistent coverage. So the ability to cover the White House is part of the metrics.”
The legacy outlets who have enjoyed, until now, prominent visibility and easy access to the White House press secretary, should expect less prominence, Axios reported.
“We want to balance disruption with responsibility,” the official told the publication.