The White House Press Corps is a group of reporters from various media outlets who cover the White House. The press secretary briefs them and holds press conferences, but some criticize the corps for being too close to the government.
The White House Press Corps is a group of correspondents and reporters tasked with covering the White House in Washington, DC. This pool of reporters comes from a diverse range of media outlets across the United States, with most major newspapers, magazines and television networks represented. They collectively feature stories of interest relating to the White House, and the post is generally perceived as highly prestigious. Correspondents who cover the jobs of the legislature are called congressional correspondents.
The modern form of the White House Press Corps emerged in the 1930s when President Franklin Roosevelt realized that print was a powerful medium and actively worked to make the White House and the president more newsworthy. By the time of World War II, several news agencies maintained full-time Washington staff assigned specifically to the White House. These reporters sometimes had contentious relationships with the administrations they covered, but they had become an enduring part of the Washington landscape.
Reporters in the White House press corps are briefed by the press secretary, a presidential appointee who handles press conferences, briefings, and other publicity materials for the White House. The press secretary periodically holds meetings with the press to discuss the administration’s position on current issues, or to make announcements. At these meetings, the White House press corps are allowed to ask questions, and during important briefings, the scene can get chaotic at times with large numbers of reporters asking their questions.
Formal White House press conferences are televised and may sometimes include other officials. The press officer also interacts with the press informally, but always on a record basis, which may be recorded, but not generally televised. As a spokesperson for the presidential administration, the press secretary is an important figure in the American government.
Some people have criticized the White House press corps for being too intimate with the government. Many critics believe the role of the press corps is to provide edgy journalism, looking beneath the surface of formal announcements and press releases for details that might be of interest to the American public. These critics sometimes find the services of the White House less than satisfactory. Some White House officials are hired specifically to court the press in hopes of building a favorable image in the media, and their activities certainly have an influence on White House correspondents.
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