::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

THE SLICE NEWS OFFICIAL RESPONSE TO THE WHITE HOUSE TAKING CONTROL OF POOL SELECTION Written by Mona Austin, White House and Congressional Correspondent for The Slice News A dispute between the AP, the White House Correspondents Association and the White House Press office calls for a formal examination of press freedom/access procedures. As someone who has been and can further be directly affected by the decisions I am weighing in on the matter. The context of my input is regarding who is allowed/qualified to cover 1600 Penn and who is allowed/qualified to be the decision makers following recent changes. The public deserves to understand what is behind the actions on both sides. BACKGROUND The AP filed a law suit against the White House alleging a violation of free speech. The White House retaliated by excluding their staffers from events with the president after the independent news organization refused to solely refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. White House jou...

By Mona Austin Within the last 3 months I have been contacted by two talented photographers who want access to the White House. They both have professional experience and good work. But neither is a photojournalist and it shows. It is evident to me that they are not well versed in the jargon or ways of the field. The White House press corps is made up of members of the working press. Just like press and media are not equivalent, there is a difference between the style and editorial or artistic expression of a wedding photographer or someone who specializes in portraits. Photojournalism is a unique discipline and course of study that engages a specific skill set beyond taking nice shots. Having a portfolio of great, high profile shots does not mean you are ready to meet demanding filing deadlines or tell an accurate story with a caption. This makes a difference in THE WORK and how one functions within the unwritten rules of the field. The White House I found it interesting that the i...

Staff Report BACKGROUND: On March 8, 2022 a group of White House reporters had enough of their questions being ignored in press briefings. Their frustration came to a tipping point when a front row colleague signaled to the press secretary to call the session to an end. Unfamiliar with this longstanding tradition, more than half of the reporters. who did not get to ask their questions -- disapproved, wanting an explanation as to why a peer was given the time-keeping task. As their voices united to demand a more fair and equitable approach, Mona Austin a White House Correspondent for The Slice News, asked if the issue of guided press engagement was a concern for the White House Correspondent Association. President of the White House Correspondent's Association Steve Portnoy then intervened. For months correspondents in the back rows of the briefing room complained among themselves and sometimes to Press Secretary Jen Psaki as she was leaving the room that more questions sho...