The New York Times has an interesting article about how media cost-cutting is impacting White House reporters.
“For decades it was a given that whenever the president traveled, a charter plane packed with members of the press would travel with him. But the press flights have been sharply curtailed in recent months,” writes the author of the story.
For example, there will be no charter when the president travels to San Francisco this week to visit a solar panel company.
The concern is that lapses in the coverage of the president will emerge and that whatever reporting does happen will come from only a few news agencies.
Still, covering the president is expensive. According to the article, the press spent $18 million last year on presidential trips. In an environment where newspapers and magazines are struggling to stay alive, it’s no wonder travels with the president are taking a hit.
So for now, media reps say they’re trying to be more picky about green-lighting excursions with the president, using local reporters to cover Obama when possible.
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