I've had a love / hate relationship with the media ever since I first got involved in politics and I'm still getting used to the idea that I am in the media. Sometimes people treat you like it's a venereal disease when they find out you are in the media.

In fact, the reason I started blogging was because I was frustrated with media coverage of political events and forums. To be more accurate, I should say I was frustrated with the lack of coverage of political events and forums.

I'd go to rallies or campaign forums and see the worst 10-second snippets of the forum that didn't even come close to covering the most interesting, entertaining, or newsworthy parts of the forum. I saw a lot of get-in, get-out coverage from television media, when there was any coverage at all.

So I decided to start blogging and summarized forums, which turned into analysis and commentary. That eventually led to interviews and digging around.

But anyone can armchair quarterback someone else's job. People who are good at their job make it look easy to everyone else, so it's easy for someone who's never done the job to rant about how they could do it better. I talk a lot, but I never knew how difficult it is to do behind a microphone or in front of a camera until I tried it. Like everything, it's a lot harder than you think.

Since the last round of elections, I've been hearing this steady beat from political losers who whine and complain that it was the media that was out to get them. I've got news for you, the media in this town just isn't that organized or motivated to do that even if they wanted to!

In print media, there are about five reporters in town that take the time to dig and ask relevant questions when it comes to politics. On television, I can think of maybe three. Resources are scarce these days, but that isn't an excuse for not doing homework and digging around, so it's a fair criticism to say that some of the media in town aren't as engaged as they could and should be.

However, blaming the media for losing your campaign in this town is a false argument. Sure, there are times when something is done in the media that can impact a race, like when the El Paso Times wrote a story about candidates who hadn't voted regularly and posted a picture of Gus Haddad, who's been a regular voter for years.

But the idea that there is a media conspiracy out to get a candidate, in this town anyway, is ridiculous. Most of the elected officials and candidates who complain about the media are victims of self-inflicted wounds.

Now here is the part when all the conspiracy theorists start to scream about me being the mouthpiece for the Paso Del Norte Group (PDNG) again. The so-called Progressives enjoy pretty decent media coverage.

Know why?

Because they actually talk to the media. I've interviewed almost every elected official in this town at some point or another, either for print, radio, or television. Actually, in the case of several elected officials, I have interviewed them for all three. For the most part the Progressives do something the other side doesn't do a good job of, they actually talk to the media with little, if any requirements.

The people who complain the loudest about media coverage have been the ones who are least willing to talk to the media or have a million and one conditions. There is even one elected official in town who I invited to come on my television show and will only do so if I reveal the identity of another blogger who has been pretty tough on that elected official.

In the words of George H.W. Bush, "Not gonna do it." I'd rather not have that elected official as a guest than to sell out.

At the last campaign forum I asked Melina Castro to answer a follow-up question from the forum. She told me she would only answer one question. Fine, but there is no way a story can be completely, or fairly written based on just one question. Yet people like her are the first to complain about negative media attention.

With my television show, I try to bring balance to the debate. The problem is, only the so-called Progressives will make themselves available. They know I am going to ask them tough questions, but they still show up to defend their stance. The other side, who I tend to agree with more regularly, doesn't make themselves available and has every excuse under the sun for why they can't make it.

Except city Rep. Eddie Holguin. He seems to understand that its better to make yourself available and give your side of the issue rather than hide under a rock because you are scared of tough questions. He seems to be one of the few that understand that if you don't advocate for your argument, you can't really blame anyone if it doesn't get covered.

Elected officials have become too comfortable in this town. They will only talk to certain reporters, talk only about certain issues, only go on talk radio programs where they know they are going to be babied / protected, or my personal favorite, demand to know the questions in advance.

Know what they called it in elementary school when you found out the questions in advance?

Cheating.

But it's the media's fault that elected officials and newsmakers have become too comfortable in this town. We've let them call us up and brow-beat us about a story or opinion piece. We've let them slide when they give spin, rather than an answer. We let them off the hook when they say "No comment." We don't continue to pressure them we they tried to hide.

It's high time the media in this town started rattling a few cages and ruffling a few feathers. It's time we started following newsmakers all the way to their cars with a camera, recorder, and a notebook.

An engaged media acts as a check against corruption and shines the light of public scrutiny in places some people would rather be kept dark.

We all know what happens to roaches when you turn the lights on.

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Abeytia writes the Lionstar blog and is a political animal who spends way too much time traveling the wilds of El Paso politics. Reach him at lionstar@thelionstarblog.com.