RTDNA condemns White House plan to pick press pool

The Radio Television Digital News Association strongly condemns the White House announcement that it, and not the White House Correspondents Association, will now be selecting members of President Trump’s official press pool.

“No president, or any public official, should have the right to handpick the journalists who cover them. Doing so gives them license to select only news outlets whose coverage they deem positive and exclude responsible journalists whose reporting, although fair and accurate, the administration may not like,” said Dan Shelley, RTDNA President and CEO.

For decades, the White House Correspondents Association, an independent group of journalists that has traditionally covered presidents and their administrations fairly and impartially, has scheduled pool assignments when chief executives are in locations too small to accommodate the full press corps. 

“We call on the Trump administration to reverse this decision without delay so that the American people, and the world, can be assured they are getting a complete and accurate account of the activities of the President of the United States. This is especially critical during times of crisis,” Shelley added.

About RTDNA
The Radio Television Digital News Association is the world's largest professional organization devoted exclusively to broadcast and digital journalism. Founded as a grassroots organization in 1946, RTDNA’s mission is to promote and protect responsible journalism. RTDNA defends the First Amendment rights of electronic journalists throughout the country, honors outstanding work in the profession through the Edward R. Murrow Awards and provides members with training to encourage ethical standards, newsroom leadership and innovation.

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