Incoming Trump White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt strongly suggested press credentials to the president’s Briefing Room could be handed out to podcasters and social media influencers, effectively bodying out some legacy media journalists as the new administration seeks to drag media access out of the 1980s and into the New Year.
Leavitt gave an indication of how they plan to reshape the media landscape in an interview Monday with FOX News host Kellyanne Conway.
Conway introduced the topic by noting President-elect Donald Trump effectively leveraged various alternative media platforms such as TikTok, not to mention his appearances with major podcasters such as Joe Rogan and Theo Von during his campaign.
Are such people consequential enough to cover the news going forward? Leavitt thinks so.
“As for the press briefing room,” she replied to Conway, “we are certainly exploring ways on how to make sure that room reflects the media habits of the American people in 2024, not in the 1980s.”
Leavitt went on to point out that the American people, as evidenced by the 2024 presidential election results, are no longer listening to the legacy media. They are turning to other sources for their news and information.
Sources that the previous president and his minions tried downplaying as bastions of “misinformation.”
“If this election proved anything, it proved that the American people are no longer listening to the mainstream bias, anti-Trump legacy media,” Leavitt explained.
“In fact, the ratings of many networks, not this one, but some others, are in the tank, and Americans are consuming their news from podcasters, social influencers, and yes, TikTok, as President Trump so exceptionally used on the campaign trail.”
Alleged Journalists Are Freaking Out About Trump Allowing Independent Outlets in Press Briefings
A recent report by Deadline indicates that yes, MSNBC and CNN “saw big post-election drop-offs as politics-weary viewers tuned out after Trump’s victory and Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss.”
MSNBC has been down 57 percent, and CNN has been down 49 percent since the period leading up to Election Day. Perhaps there is some fatigue and depression among Harris voters, but they also clearly did not appreciate being lied to leading up to the election about Trump being “Hitler.”
As such, these dinosaurs and their reporters may not be ideal sources for covering the new White House press briefing room.
Leavitt then delivered the knockout blow. Mainstream media reporters are replaceable.
“So we will look to effectively communicate his (Trump’s) message through all mediums so that all Americans are hearing the facts from the White House directly, not through the lens of the ever-biased anti-Trump legacy media,” she revealed.
There are only so many seats in that briefing room. Start adding podcasters and folks at the big networks, and newspapers are sure to be left on the outside looking in.
Leavitt’s comments are certainly a warning shot. And the president-elect indeed loves to maximize viewers. Would they actually pivot to podcasters and TikTokers? Can you imagine seeing Joe Rogan questioning the press secretary in the White House? I say, hell yeah.
As previously reported by RedState, journalists have already been fretting about the next administration possibly freezing out their access in favor of podcasters and internet personalities.
One White House reporter suggested the press corp might boycott briefings if the Trump White House makes the shift to alternative and independent media.
Is there anything less surprising than the mainstream media responding to being replaced because they’re no longer important by taking their ball and going home? They’re flat-out saying nobody listens to you anymore as it is. And you think the play to fix that is to … make sure nobody hears you?
No wonder your professional field is dying.
