Washington DC: Robert Gibbs, the President's Press Secretary, announced that the format for conducting scheduled White House press corps briefings will be changing. A change is necessary because Helen Thomas (Hearst Newspapers) gave Mr. Gibbs a "what for" about selected reporters asking preapproved or planted questions.
At the next White House press briefing, each media attendee entering the briefing room will receive a list of 200 questions which may be asked during the session. Random drawings from two transparent fishbowls, one containing the names of the attendees and the other the question numbers, will set the agenda. In this manner the questioning reporter and the question will always be unknown.
All major news organizations have declined to attend the next scheduled White House press corps briefing, except the Huffington Post.
