(FixThisNation.com) – On Wednesday the White House press office issued an official warning to journalist Simon Ateba, a Today News Africa reporter who is known for interrupting press briefings. In the warning issued the press office warned that if his behavior does not change then he may completely lose his pass to enter the Presidential complex.
Ateba shared a screenshot of the letter on his Twitter account along with a test. The two-page document was left unsigned but it includes a number of occasions when Ateba’s disruptions had stopped press briefings from proceeding normally. This included instances when he shouted at colleagues and blocked press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre from replying to questions others had posed.
In the letter, they point out that the White House had recognized that oftentimes the members of the press will shout during the briefing or events. They added that oftentimes that shouting will stop when a reporter has asked a question so that the briefing or event can proceed. However, Ateba’s interruptions are different as they block other journalists from asking their questions and receiving replies. It is further noted that the Press Secretary can only end such disruptions by completely stopping the press briefing or event that is taking place, which harms the journalists.
The letter proceeds to cite one of the guidelines issued on May 5 which included a process for the journalists that are covering the White House and the behavior that is expected from the group while they are in the complex.
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