The honeymoon between the press and Barack Obama’s new administration seems to have been a brief affair. Photographers were denied access to Obama in his first day in the Oval office, a tradition photo op.
The White House later released photos taken by White House photographer Pete Souza marking that event as well as an image of Obama retaking the oath of office. The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France Presse refused to distribute the photos.
In an AP story, Michael Oreskes, managing editor for U.S. news at the AP said, “We are not distributing what are, in effect, visual press releases.”
The New York Times and McClatchy-Tribune Photo both distributed the images.