Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Walsh once said that policymakers should talk less. On Wednesday, after a regular policy meeting, he carried out his proposal by holding the shortest press conference on record for the chairman of the Federal Reserve. The regular press conference held by Walsh after announcing the first rate hike in more than three years lasted only about 30 minutes. This is the shortest since the Federal Reserve Chairman began holding regular press conferences in 2011. The chairman insisted on not predicting the future actions of the Federal Reserve, but instead focused on this week's meetings and the current views of Federal Reserve officials on the economy. The Federal Reserve also adjusted seating arrangements in the briefing room. In the past, reporters from major newspapers and news agencies sat in the front row, but now the seats are arranged alphabetically by media name. This meant that AFP reporters were placed in the front row, while the Wall Street Journal and Reuters reporters were placed in the back of the room. Furthermore, the future of the press conference is still undecided. One of the five task forces set up by Walsh will be responsible for reviewing communication mechanisms. The task force is to evaluate how the Federal Reserve “communicates policy considerations and decisions in the midst of uncertainty”. This action may include leading to the cancellation of press conferences and other communication tools.

Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Walsh once said that policymakers should talk less. On Wednesday, after a regular policy meeting, he carried out his proposal by holding the shortest press conference on record for the chairman of the Federal Reserve. The regular press conference held by Walsh after announcing the first rate hike in more than three years lasted only about 30 minutes. This is the shortest since the Federal Reserve Chairman began holding regular press conferences in 2011. The chairman insisted on not predicting the future actions of the Federal Reserve, but instead focused on this week's meetings and the current views of Federal Reserve officials on the economy. The Federal Reserve also adjusted seating arrangements in the briefing room. In the past, reporters from major newspapers and news agencies sat in the front row, but now the seats are arranged alphabetically by media name. This meant that AFP reporters were placed in the front row, while the Wall Street Journal and Reuters reporters were placed in the back of the room. Furthermore, the future of the press conference is still undecided. One of the five task forces set up by Walsh will be responsible for reviewing communication mechanisms. The task force is to evaluate how the Federal Reserve “communicates policy considerations and decisions in the midst of uncertainty”. This action may include leading to the cancellation of press conferences and other communication tools.