The White House's continued refusal to answer reporters' questions on camera had journalists steamed on Monday at an off-camera briefing where only audio was allowed and was barred from broadcast until the conclusion of the session.

CNN's Jim Acosta was especially angry with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, and let him have it during the gaggle that another reporter noted was a 'drastic shift' from past precedent yet appears to be the 'new normal.'

'Why are the cameras off, Sean, why did you turn them off? Can you just give us an answer to that?' he asked. 'Can you tell us why you turned the cameras off? Why are they off?'

The White House's continued refusal to answer reporters' questions on camera had journalists steamed on Monday at an off-camera briefing. CNN's Jim Acosta was especially angry. He's pictured here at the White House in January

Acosta posted this picture today of Spicer as the took the podium, even though not cameras or audio were supposed to be allowed

Acosta's pushing inspired other reporters, including American Urban Radio Network's April Ryan, a CNN contributor, to jump in.

'It's a legitimate question,' Ryan said. 'It's a legit question,' Acosta parroted. 'You are a taxpayer funded spokesman for the United states government. Can you at least give us an explanation as to why the cameras are off?'

Spicer ignored the unrest and called on One America News Network's Trey Yingst only to be confronted about the elephant in the room - the off-camera briefing that was taking place.

Yingst asked Spicer to clear the air so they could move on and explain why the White House was being so secretive.

'Can we get this out of the way? Can we address the cameras issue?' Yingst asked.

Spicer shot back: 'Yes, some days it will happen, some days it won't. The president's going to speak today in the Rose Garden, I want the president's voice to carry the day. So, look, this is nothing inconsistent with what we've said since day one.'

The excuse was one the White House official has used several times over the last week as he was bombarded by demands for televised briefings that the American public can watch as they happen.

Spicer had said at a briefing last Monday, 'There are days that I'll decide that the president's voice should be the one that speaks and iterate his priorities.'

Patience with the explanation wore thin on Friday, when Spicer gave an interview to Fox & Friends. Counselor Kellyanne Conway has also made appearances on the morning show on days when the White House did not have

The Trump White House had generally held that on days that that the president held a press conference or delivered a major speech that his face would be the only one that day on camera.

The new standard established by Spicer has served as a blanket excuse to keep the confrontational battles with the press that have frequently centered on charges having to do with Russia and inquiries about the president's tweets out of the public eye as the White House reportedly searches for a new spokesman.

The White House has been prohibiting cameras at some press briefings, so on Friday CNN got creative and sent a sketch artist.Bill Hennessy, the network's regular sketch artist for Supreme Court proceedings, made this sketch of Spicer

A report in Politico last month had detailed a strategy to keep Spicer off camera following the president's trip abroad that seems to have taken hold.

The daily press briefings have not been called off entirely, as Trump once threatened, but the media's ability to pummel the president's spokesman with unflattering questions has been diminished.

Networks have not always carried the briefings live. Spicer's have been a boon for ratings, however. Even when the briefings are not aired immediately on news networks, clips are frequently used in news packages.

They have traditionally been livestreamed by C-SPAN and the White House, as well.

Spicer has held one on-camera each of the last two weeks. The rest have been off camera and sometimes he's fielded the ball to his deputies.