Reports indicate that the White House is close to unveiling a new seating arrangement for the briefing room—a change that might see some major outlets lose their traditional front-row spots.
Axios noted that the administration plans to establish and enforce its own seating chart, a role that the journalist-led White House Correspondents’ Association has managed for decades.
An unnamed person described by Axios as a senior White House official told the news outlet that the Trump administration is aiming for a “fundamental restructuring of the briefing room, based on metrics more reflective of how media is consumed today.”
“The goal isn’t merely favorable coverage,” the official told Axios. “It’s truly an honest look at consumption [of the outlets’ coverage]. Influencers are important, but it’s tough because they aren’t [equipped to provide] consistent coverage. So the ability to cover the White House is part of the metrics.”
“Major legacy outlets will still be included. But expect some to have diminished visibility compared with their customary spots in the first few rows. We want to balance disruption with responsibility,” the official said, per Axios.