# Do the Networks have multiple reporters in the White House press pool?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-networks-have-multiple-reporters-in-the-white-house-press-pool/824806>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 19, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-networks-have-multiple-reporters-in-the-white-house-press-pool/824806 "2018-11-19T16:44:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-networks-have-multiple-reporters-in-the-white-house-press-pool/824806/21 "2018-11-19T23:51:05Z")

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> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> I had briefly looked at this. It didn’t say much about staffing the pool or how many seats are available in the briefing room.

[White House Briefing Room](http://whcinsider.com/2017/07/05/white-house-press-room-seating-chart-2/). This is from last year but it’s a nice infographic, easily available online.

There are 49 assigned signs. Others can stand along the sides or in back, as in this [photo](https://www.politico.com/blogs/on-media/2017/06/30/conservative-outlets-gain-white-house-seats-240152).

Seats are assigned by the White House Correspondents Association. However, that hasn’t always been the case and the President could change that.

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-networks-have-multiple-reporters-in-the-white-house-press-pool/824806/22 "2018-11-20T00:14:20Z")

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Thank you, that link is very helpful.

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**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-networks-have-multiple-reporters-in-the-white-house-press-pool/824806/23 "2018-11-20T00:33:55Z")

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> [@Velocity](#):
>
> So maybe I failed to glean this out of the posts above, but what prevents someone like Trump from just saying “Only Fox News reporters permitted in my press conference area?” Is there an external legal right for various networks to have a seat?

Note, the President has the option of not having any press conferences at all–and just do interviews with selected news media. Naturally this results in negative coverage in the news media about the failure of the President to hold press conferences.

The history is that Presidents do a lot fewer press conferences than they imply when they are running–when they make all those speeches about press access, the people’s right to know…

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**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-networks-have-multiple-reporters-in-the-white-house-press-pool/824806/24 "2018-11-20T03:59:18Z")

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One thing not mentioned is that losing one’s White House press credentials doesn’t just ban him/her from the briefing room, it’s a ban from the entire White House. That means no access to the Chief of Staff, to any of the communications liaisons, or pretty much any member of the executive branch who values their own job. It’s more than a minor inconvenience.

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