Why should the press corps think that 49 favored ones should be given seats? That’s exclusionary. Move ‘em out.
Here's my proposal for reforming the presidential press conference:
Invite perhaps 200 journalists from large and small news outlets around the country — out of an official list of 2000, on a rotating basis.
Include an additional 5 from a second-string list of 500, such as wide-circulation blogs, large organization newsletters, industry-related media or college newspapers, by lottery.
On the morning of the press conference, the press secretary announces the topic and subtopic for the presser; that day's invited reporters will have one hour to submit one question apiece online.
Participants come to the meeting place and are given a numbered ticket at the door as they enter.
After the press secretary makes a few prepared remarks about the topic of the day, he (or the president via live video feed) answers 7 of the pre-submitted questions, chosen by an impartial computer algorithm. Stupid questions will be rated electronically by a random 10% of attendees also chosen by algorithm. Questions ranked degrees of "stupid" will have their reporter or organization bumped down in ranking or out entirely.
Finally, three additonal questions will be taken from the floor based on random numbers chosen from a fishbowl, matched to the ticket numbers handed to each reporter when they entered the room.