Gov. Scott Grants Less Access to Reporters

Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott is running the state more like a chief executive officer of a company. So he’s granting less access to reporters than his predecessors, and that has some of them in a tizzy, ABC Action News in Tampa reported Tuesday.

Scott Paine, a University of Tampa governmental affairs professor, said that Scott is taking an approach that’s consistent with his previous experience in the corporate world.

"It's the relationship that a corporate CEO has with the press which is 'I'll talk to you when I want to. Otherwise, stay away'" said Paine.

Paine acknowledges that no chief executive can be expected to give reporters unlimited access. Still, the governor could be shortchanging the public, he said.

"The public is being left out of the give-and-take the press generates with elected officials and they are left with whatever official declarations the Governor's office wants to make. That should make people uncomfortable," Paine told the TV station.