Trump's Media Strategy: Strengthening Direct Communication with the Public
Inevitable Clashes with Traditional Media... White House Signals Change
U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to change the White House access and press coverage environment by significantly expanding access to new media and one-person media. Analysts suggest that President Trump, who has maintained a strained relationship with traditional media, is opening the doors to social media (SNS) influencers, podcasters, and independent news content creators, unveiling a new media strategy.
Caroline Levitt, White House Press Secretary, is taking questions after the White House briefing on the 28th (local time). Levitt, 27 years old this year, is the youngest White House Press Secretary. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
According to Bloomberg News on the 29th (local time), more than 7,400 applicants requested White House press passes just one day after the announcement of the new media policy. The first media outlets to apply for access were the online news platform Axios and the conservative alternative media Breitbart.
White House Opens Doors to New Media... "Reflecting Changes in the Media Environment"
This decision by the Trump administration is seen as a measure reflecting changes in the traditional media environment. White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt stated at a briefing on the 28th, "It is essential to share President Trump's message everywhere and to adapt the White House to the new media environment by 2025," adding that both new media and traditional press would be allowed to cover the White House together.
She further explained, "The White House strongly believes in the First Amendment (freedom of the press) and will open access for independent journalists, podcasters, SNS influencers, and news content creators to apply for White House press passes."
According to a Pew Research Center survey, 40% of Americans under 30 consume political and current affairs news through influencers. The Trump administration's decision appears to reflect this changed news consumption pattern.
Spokesperson Levitt said that the new policy was implemented by cooperating with the existing White House Correspondents' Association (WCHA) to maintain seating arrangements for traditional media while adding dedicated seats for new media. This approach is evaluated as minimizing conflicts between traditional and new media.
Caroline Levitt, White House Press Secretary, is taking questions after the White House briefing on the 28th (local time). Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
New Media Journalists Also Participate in White House Briefings... Expanded Opportunities for Conservative Media
At the White House briefing on the 28th, the first question was given to Mike Allen of Axios. The New York Times (NYT) pointed out that he comes from traditional media backgrounds such as The Washington Post (WP) and Politico, stating that "he is more an extension of traditional media than a representative figure of new media journalists."
The second question was directed to Matt Boyle, Washington bureau chief of Breitbart News. Breitbart News is a conservative alternative media outlet that has participated in White House briefings for years but had not officially been assigned seats. Boyle said, "Today is a historic first step to correct the mistakes made by failed traditional media and the institutions that protect them."
President Trump's decision is interpreted as a strategy to avoid conflicts with traditional media while effectively spreading his message. He has had deep conflicts with traditional media such as the New York Times (NYT) and CNN and has shown a tendency to actively utilize SNS-based one-person media and conservative alternative media.
During last year's presidential election period, President Trump appeared on a live stream by famous American streamer Adin Ross. [Photo by Adin Ross YouTube]
In particular, during last year's presidential election process, President Trump conducted interviews with podcasters targeting young conservative voters, which is considered to have been effective in his election strategy.
The Democratic Party also invited more than 200 content creators during last year's election process, allowing them to cover the national convention. NBC has shown a trend of actively utilizing new media by issuing press passes to dozens of influencers for coverage of the Paris Olympics.
Traditional media are feeling tense about President Trump's moves. If new media and one-person media participate in White House briefings, the role of existing media may be diminished.
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