White House blocks several major news outlets from press briefing

The White House has blocked a number of news outlets from covering a question-and-answer session with spokesman Sean Spicer held in place of the daily press briefing.

Other news outlets blocked were The Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed, and most foreign press, according to news outlet Axios.

This private meeting was instead of the normal on-camera meeting in the White House James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.

“It is risky for democracy and for holding politicians accountable when a White House excludes tough-minded journalists who criticize them, “tweeted New York Times reporter Steven Greenhouse”.

Major networks ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox.

Spicer told members of the press in a early morning briefing Friday that the reports were “indefensible and inaccurate”.

Off-camera gaggles are not unusual.

Trump also vowed the White House would do something about the coverage. But briefings and gaggles in the White House are usually open to all outlets and they are free to ask anything. While Spicer said he wants to get information out to the press, “We don’t need to do everything on camera everyday”.

The move has drawn flak from media outlets with several boycotting the meeting despite being invited. “The National Press Club supports our colleagues in the White House Correspondents Association in its protest and calls on the White House to reverse course”. President Trump has even coined a term for the Times, constantly referring to it on Twitter as “the failing New York Times”. Last December, Spicer said that the White House wouldn’t ban or limit access to the press.

All we can hope for is that publications still fight for access, stand together and report the facts. ‘And indicative of a lack of basic understanding of how an adult White House functions’. The US President said unethical reporters “make up stories and make up sources”.