Breaking with standard protocol, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer opened the floor Wednesday in the press briefing room to Skype questions from reporters outside of the White House Press Corps.
- Four reporters from around the country participated
- Press Secretary Spicer referred to initiative as "Skype Seats"
- Concerns exists over selection of which media outlets will get "Skype Seats"
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, four different reporters from across the country participated in the daily event, which Spicer called “Skype Seats.”
The new element created some awkwardness during the session, which brought unexpected levity to the usually combative exchanges between Spicer and the press room.
For example, one conservative radio host addressed the press secretary as 'Commander Spicer.'
At the start of another exchange, Spicer looked at the female correspondent on the screen starting her question, looked back at the reporters in the room with a smile, then enthusiastically told her, "You're coming back!"
Photo: Bay News 9
Media experts question whether the new initiative is a positive in terms of White House transparency with the press.
“Technologies that open up the process to more people and allow more voices to participate are a good thing,” said Tampa lawyer Mark Caramanica, an attorney at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. “We'll just have to wait and see how it's used and hopefully how it's used in that liberalizing fashion."
Caramanica also expressed concern about how the White House would select the media outlets that receive access to "Skype Seats."
“If there will be some sort of vetting process of outlets or questions," said Caramanica.