COLUMBIA (WACH) -- Since his election more than five months ago, Mayor Steve Benjamin has been making headlines.
Earlier this week, Benjamin told the Free Times that he will make himself available to journalists only on issues of big importance.
He cited his car accident, which happened the morning after winning the election that severely injured the driver of the other vehicle, as an example of unfair coverage.
“The media's role is to reflect on what is happening and to communicate that to the community at-large, and there is more than one way to do it,” says Dean Charles Bierbauer of USC College of Mass Communications and Information Studies.
Bierbauer learned Friday about Benjamin's new stance with the press.
In the article published at free-times.com Thursday, Benjamin said, "Six months ago, if there were a particular issue I were working on, I'd pull you all in, get you involved. Now I think I'd just do it. I'm being open and available, but not as much as I might have been.”
“I can kind of relate to the situation to some degree,” says political consultant Tige Watts, “but the thing we have to remember is the media can't print every story or broadcast every announcement.”
Watts adds the media and politicians have a love-hate relationship, and both entities need each other.
On several occasions, WACH Fox News has invited Benjamin to sit down and discuss what he feels is unfair coverage. He has yet to take us up on the offer.
According to City of Columbia Director of Public Relations Leshia Utsey, the mayor has made no official change to city policy.
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