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Richard Piatt ReportingGreen Party candidate Bob Brister says television stations, and public TV in particular, should include him in this year's political debates, but broadcasters--including KSL--use guidelines that are backed up by a 1997 Supreme Court decision.
Third party candidates do have a tough job. They need publicity like every candidate does. The question is: Where should the 'popularity' threshold be?
Ever heard of Bob Brister? He is the Green Party candidate for Congress, running against incumbent Jim Matheson. Brister has a lot of things he wants to talk about, but he says he's being undercut because he's not invited to broadcast debates. Matheson and Republican LaVar Christensen are appearing alone.
Bob Brister, (G) Candidate For Congress: "It is not the role of TV stations to pick and choose which candidates the public will be allowed to hear from."
Brister takes issue with commercial stations, KSL included, but he is especially agitated at KUED, public television.
Ken Verdoia is hosting Friday's Matheson-Christensen debate at KUED. He says he has explained to Brister why he's not included.
Ken Verdoia, KUED Public Television: "He takes exception to our standards saying they're arbitrary. In fact, they're reasoned and inclusive."
KUED's standard is that a candidate must have at least 5-percent approval rating in published or broadcast polls. The latest Dan Jones poll for KSL and the Deseret Morning news shows Brister getting three-percent.
Eyewitness News uses 10 percent as a threshold.
Verdoia also points out Brister is getting just under three minutes of free airtime on KUED Prime Time, in this 'Free Speech Message', offered to all ballot qualified candidates.
In the film 'Man of the Year', an independent candidate beat the system--and the odds--by being different. In the real world, Brister is a frustrated third-party candidate, hoping to break the political vicious cycle.
Bob Brister, (G) Candidate For Congress: "It's a chicken and egg situation and we want to bust up the two party system."
In fact the US Surpeme Court ruled on this issue in 1997. That ruling says public TV stations have no more obligation to candidates than commercial stations do. And it says all stations make decisions on reasoned criteria, in KUED's case, the 5 percent threshold.
