The administration of the US President Donald Trump will begin selecting media outlets that will be allowed to participate in the presidential journalist pool, a group of reporters who, on a rotating basis, inform the public about the presidentʼs daily activities.
The New York Times writes about this.
The change breaks with decades of tradition, allowing the White House to exercise greater control over which journalists can observe his activities up close and ask him questions.
For many years, the journalists who participate in the press pool have been determined by the White House Correspondentsʼ Association, a 111-year-old group representing journalists who cover the White House administration.
Because presidents often hold events in small spaces like the Oval Office, the pool format ensures that the public receives an accurate record of the presidentʼs comments and actions.
Most often, the pool consists of journalists from media outlets such as CNN, Reuters, The Associated Press, ABC News, Fox News, and The New York Times.
The Trump administrationʼs announcement is the latest in a series of aggressive efforts to limit the access and influence of leading news organizations covering the White House, a sharp departure from the practice of generations of Republican and Democratic presidents, who have had the White House press corps decide which reporters to grant more access.
White House press secretary Caroline Levitt said the new policy aims to allow “new media” — such as websites, streaming services and podcasts — to “share this enormous responsibility”.
“Old media that have been working here for years will still participate in the pool, but new voices will also be welcome,” she added.
At the same time, the White House Correspondentsʼ Association believes that the White House is "undermining the independence of a free press in the United States".
- In mid-February, the White House banned AP journalists from attending briefings until the editorial board called the Gulf of Mexico Americaʼs.
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