President-elect Donald Trump’s team is reportedly floating the idea of shaking up the White House press briefing room. As expected, members of the press are already whining about it.
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Team Trump is looking at replacing legacy media outlets in the briefing room’s front rows to make room for independent news organizations, at least some of which might be friendlier to the incoming administration, according to The Hill.
People close to Trump have said in recent days he should dramatically change who gets access to the president, suggesting podcasters, internet personalities and media deemed more friendly to him could replace outlets like the major television networks, The New York Times and The Washington Post in the room’s front rows.
Reporters covering The White House, in conversations with The Hill this week, described a feeling of annoyance, frustration and dread at such an idea.
Several reporters declined to comment on the record or requested anonymity to speak candidly about the possibility of a drastically changed press room and the likely kerfuffle it would spark.
One White House reporter slammed the idea, saying, “It would be a total mess” and that they “would expect people would probably boycott the briefings, though that would put certain outlets in a tough spot deciding if they want to go along with what the Trump people are trying to pull.”
Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s pick for White House press secretary, added gallons of fuel to the fire when she dared to suggest that decorum and a tougher approach to media would be central to her approach to the position. “We hope there will be decorum, certainly, and we will try to instill that. But we’re not shy of the hostile media,” she said.
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Longtime White House correspondent Julie Mason also complained about the move, arguing it would damage the administration’s credibility. “If they think they’re going to end White House reporting by throwing everyone out or clearing out the first three rows, good luck, because that’s not how that works,” Mason told The Hill, adding, “They would really beclown themselves if they put three rows of Gateway Pundit clones in the briefing room. This administration wants to be taken seriously… by doing this you make a joke of the briefing. It just makes the whole thing look ridiculous.”
One More Area of the Swamp That Trump Should Drain: The White House Press Room
Donald Trump Jr., the president-elect’s eldest son, said the incoming administration should provide access to “independent journalists” and shredded outlets like The New York Times for “functioning as the marketing arm to the Democrat Party.”
He asked, “Why not open it up to people who have larger viewerships, stronger followings?”
What an excellent question, Donald Trump Jr. Why the heck shouldn’t the Trump administration shake things up and get some fresh blood in that stale old briefing room?
America’s media landscape has evolved significantly, with digital outlets playing a more prominent role in shaping political discourse. There are plenty of alternative and independent media figures and organizations that boast larger audiences than legacy media. Should they not play a more prominent role in covering the White House?
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Here’s the thing: The shift is going to happen anyway, whether members of the press like it or not. Digital media is gradually replacing traditional media – especially as trust in the once-vaunted Fourth Estate flows further down the toilet.
A recent survey showed that younger voters are getting most of their news from digital platforms like podcasts, TikTok, YouTube, and other forms of social media. Cable news isn’t nearly as relevant as it once used to be.
I’m not suggesting that Trump only include right-leaning media outlets in the room. Press briefings should have input and questions from both sides of the political divide. But we are definitely overdue for some change, and if that means the folks from CNN, ABC News, CBS News, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and others have to scoot over a little bit, then so be it.
