INSKEEP: How do you think you will engage the right-wing media ecosystem, if I can call it that? I'm thinking of networks like Fox, but also OANN and Newsmax that have larger and larger audiences. And some of them, like Fox, have, at least on a basic level, acknowledged that Joe Biden won the election. Others are pushing completely discredited theories, but they're all going to be there. They're all going to have an audience, and they're all going to have questions for you.

PSAKI: That's right. And you know, Steve, again, just to go back to how valuable I find and how much I'll rely on my experience at the State Department, there were many, many days where there were journalists — I'm air quoting that — who are from Russia or China, essentially arms of the government, you know, arms of the state-run media. And we let them in the briefing room, and they ask questions, and sometimes I had a little fun with them, you know, about who they were asking the question on behalf of.

The first interview that I did after I was announced as White House press secretary was with Chris Wallace on Fox. I do think there is a difference, as I think everybody knows, between some of the anchors and reporters at a network like Fox and some of the personalities. I will not be doing an interview with Sean Hannity. I think that wouldn't serve anybody, including the president-elect, who's the most important factor there. In terms of, you know, [OANN] and kind of other right-wing entities? I don't think my job as the White House press secretary is to give them a bigger platform. But at the same time, when we're at a point when it's COVID-safe and there is a full briefing room, I also don't think it's my job to keep people out.

INSKEEP: There seemed to be different approaches at different times in the Obama administration to this question. Of course, President Obama himself did interviews from time to time on Fox News, but the administration also grew frustrated with Fox, tried to shut them out from time to time, was criticized for that. Do you feel that that question is resolved in the way that you just said?

PSAKI: You know, Steve, it's a good question. I don't think it's resolved, no. And I will tell you, my resting place is to be steady and open and share information. But I am no pushover either. We're not going to allow the briefing room to be a platform for propaganda, and we will shut that down as needed as well.