Do the new White House press rules promote a code of conduct or conformity?

The White House Press Corps Implements New Rules for Press Behavior

The White House press corps has recently established a set of rules regarding press behavior during press briefings. The new rules aim to ensure that all hard pass holders act professionally while on White House grounds, respecting their colleagues, White House employees, and guests. The rules also state that reporters who are deemed to be acting “unprofessional” may be removed from the briefing.

Is the White House Trying to Get Rid of Adversarial Journalism?

The new rules come after former President Donald Trump tossed several members of the press, including CNN’s Jim Acosta and Salon.com’s Brian Karem, at different times. However, some reporters suspect that the new rules may have something to do with Today News Africa’s Simon Ateba, who has been known to disrupt unwritten rules of decorum by shouting questions out of turn at White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. While the White House claims that they are not trying to get rid of “adversarial journalism,” some reporters fear that the new rules may discriminate against independent journalists.

What Are the New Standards?

In addition to personal behavior, the new set of standards also has a few other stipulations. Hard pass holders must have full-time employment with media outlets that primarily report the news, they must live in Washington D.C. or other surrounding areas, they must have conducted work at the White House at least once in the last six months, and must have valid press credentials for the Supreme Court, Senate, or House. The current hard passes expire on July 31, and journalists must reapply for a one-year credential.

Is the White House Ignoring the Changing Landscape of Journalism?

Some reporters argue that the White House is ignoring the fact that journalism is rapidly changing, with many seasoned veterans leaving established news and information outlets to become independent journalists. While the new rules may discriminate against independent journalists, those journalists could still access the White House on a day pass.

• The White House expects all hard pass holders to act professionally while on White House grounds
• Reporters who are deemed to be acting “unprofessional” may be removed from the briefing
• Hard pass holders must have full-time employment with media outlets that primarily report the news
• Hard pass holders must live in Washington D.C. or other surrounding areas
• Hard pass holders must have conducted work at the White House at least once in the last six months
• Hard pass holders must have valid press credentials for the Supreme Court, Senate, or House
• Journalists must reapply for a one-year credential by July 31

While the White House claims that they are not trying to get rid of “adversarial journalism,” some reporters fear that the new rules may discriminate against independent journalists.

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