Governor Keeps Media Under Control

The media's tightly controlled access to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is raising questions "about whether the public is getting a clear-eyed view of the actor-turned-governor," or merely a "deftly shaped persona." Bryce Nelson, a professor of journalism at the University of Southern California, calls the governor's strategy a success, saying his favored status "gives him a great advantage."

Nelson also answered the question of how the governor is able to control the local, state, and national media so effectively. "Simply put, we believe the media is scared," he said. "I mean, they've seen him take on aliens, robots from the future, and a group of kindergarteners." Nelson recalled a meeting he held with fellow journalists to discuss the situation, when he showed them a picture of the governor flexing his biceps. "They recoiled in terror," he said, "and vowed never to write a negative word about him."