From WNYKRZE

From WNYC in New York, this is NPR's On the Media.

I'm Bob Garfield.

And I'm Brooke Gladstone.

The transition from the presidency of Bill Clinton to that of George W. Bush brings with it another changing of the guard in Washington.

Such news organizations as the New York Times, The Washington Post, ABC News, CNN, the Austin Statesman Journal, and others, will be dispatching new correspondence to the White House.

They will have to quickly learn the ropes of the highest profile beat in journalism.

Bob stopped into the White House briefing room this week for a glimpse of what the fresh meat has in store.

We don't have anything scheduled, but the team will be in touch with our leaders and with others.

The team will be. I'm not sure he will, but if he does make calls, I'll let you know.

As press secretary Jake Seward spars with reporters about the details of the Mid-East peace process,

you can't help but notice that the White House press room, this epicenter of the New World Order,

is a cramped and stagnant hole.

From the familiar blue drape that hangs off kilter behind the podium,

to the wobbly old movie theater seats the reporters sit on,

to the faint smell of electronic circuitry and stale sandwiches.

This place seems more like the epicenter of, oh, I don't know, Flint, Michigan.

The air isn't even very good in here.

The ventilation system leaves a lot to be desired.

The machines are often out of soft drinks,

and the food in the machine is not something you really want to eat.

ABC's John Cochran, who is finishing his third tour of duty here,

...