depetro comments

[Mark Watson]

Garrett Wollman wrote:

> I wonder, on the other hand, why the complainers think it's >legitimate to 
> have a "debate" that doesn't involve all the >candidates on the ballot.

   Last weekend, WSBK Channel 38 aired a MA Lt. Governor candidate's debate, 
only inviting the Democrat & Republican candidates to appear on the 30 
minute forum aired during Jon Keller's weekly Channel 38 program and taped 2 
days prior to airing. Martina Robinson, the Green Party's Lt.Governor 
candidate, asked a court to issue an injunction  to force station owner CBS 
to include herself and the Independent candidate John Sullivan in the forum. 
The reason given by CBS for the exclusion of Robinson & Sullivan was time 
constraints, it's only a 30 minute program and that having only the 2 major 
party hopefuls debate would better serve viewers. If I recall reading 
correctly, Robinson's lawyer also used a discrimination claim in the court 
filing, saying that Robinson was excluded because she suffers from a 
disability that has left her confined to a wheelchair & with a speech 
impediment. The court refused to grant the injunction and the debate was 
taped and aired as scheduled.

   Also of note, this past week WCVB Channel 5 anchor Natalie Jacobson aired 
sit down interviews taped in the homes of the Democrat & Republican 
gubernatorial candidates, the 2 minor-party candidates weren't interviewed. 
I wonder why the minor party candidates didn't publically complain about 
Natalie not coming to their homes.

   The reality is most media outlets give little to no coverage to the minor 
party candidates on a daily basis. Grace Ross got some screen time and press 
coverage only to get her reaction to John DePetro's comments about her.

Mark Watson