- By William Silgueiro
- (General Dispatch) – According to the Washington Post, the press team of current President Joe Biden is studying the possibility of charging $170 for the COVID-19 test required for journalists seeking to enter the White House on a daily basis.
- The disclosure of the report indicates that the White House is seeking to implement this measure in consideration of the high cost to its budget of testing a substantial number of journalists who enter the White House daily in search of information.
- However, the White House Correspondents’ Association has expressed its opposition to the changes that are intended to be generated with this measure.
- Likewise, specialists comment that this measure would be intended to monopolize certain media in the White House, leaving aside those media that are not able to cover the cost of generating the news.
- This fact contrasts with the statement made by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who promised on the day of President Biden’s inauguration to bring “truth and transparency back to the briefing room”.
- It is worth noting, that former President Donald Trump time before his departure from the presidency would have left fully paid the Bill that benefits journalists in the realization of their respective COVID-2019 tests.
- For this reason, there is no explanation for the White House to violate the right of journalists, using as an excuse the reduction of tests, which amount to 80 per day.
- If this mechanism is applied, the right of information professionals to communicate the news generated in real time, and the right of citizens to be informed, would be curtailed.
Adittional Information:
Daily Caller: Biden Press Office Seeks To Charge Reporters $170 For COVID-19 Tests Before Entering White House
NY Post: White House imposes COVID-19 testing fee on reporters in latest step limiting press access
