Journalists have been called the watchdogs of democracy and they are expected to monitor the actions of influential people and provide unbiased reports to the public. In doing so, many journalists cover government issues, but some are specifically assigned by news outlets to cover the legislative activities that take place in the Parliament Buildings. These journalists are often collectively called the "Press Gallery."
The journalists of the Press Gallery are oftentimes the first people to read new budgets and are witness to most debates in the Legislative Assembly, giving them first hand knowledge of the legislative activities that can be reported to the public. Therefore, the Press Gallery plays an important role in communicating the actions of MLAs and governments to British Columbians.
By tradition, the members of the press are seated behind and above the Speaker, where they may stay out of sight and take notes without being seen by the Speaker. No other gallery attendees are permitted to take written notes of the proceedings. The location of these seats is also referred to as the Press Gallery.
