Time Inc. publications People and Time magazines are following peers including Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, and Bloomberg in calling off their yearly celebrations the night before first “nerd prom” of the Trump administration — the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
“Time Inc. will not be hosting its annual Time/People party at the St. Regis during this year’s WHCA weekend,” a Time Inc. spokesperson said in a statement. “As usual, Time will be participating in the WHCA dinner. People will be making a donation to the WHCA in lieu of tables at the dinner.”
Vanity Fair and The New Yorker called off their events in January, while Bloomberg cancelled its planned party at the home of France’s Ambassador to the United States Gérard Araud on Feb. 24 — the same day White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer barred certain media outlets from participating in a press briefing.
Trump, who was the target of some brutal barbs from President Barack Obama at the 2015 event, has bashed the media since the beginning of his campaign, branding certain outlets — most notably CNN — as “fake news” and singling out reporters by name. Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan has suggested the White House Correspondents’ Association call off the whole thing.
“This year we have decided to focus on supporting the White House Correspondents’ Association, which plays a crucial role in advocating for the broadest possible access for the press at the White House,” Alan Murray, Time Inc.’s chief content officer, said in a statement.