I remember during the Clinton administration Bill didn't do any press conferences in his second term and the reason for that was that the press would look conspicuous for not asking certain questions if given the chance. So the silence protected all of them. There was one time when a gone-rogue journalist tried to get close enough to ask a question at some rose garden event and all the journalists there went into a blocking formation that looked practiced to push him back. The msm journalists job was to ensure no one asked any questions.