Big media flexes its muscles and interferes with the democratic process once again.

The Dennis Kucinich campaign reports that the Ohio congressman met the criteria to participate in the Jan. 15 debate and was issued an official invitation from NBC to participate in that debate. Less than 44 hours later, the network redefined its criteria for participation and rescinded the invitation, saying that they decided to invite only three Democratic candidates instead of four.

The Kucinich campaign is considering legal action to address “the blatant disregard of the public interest in silencing public debate that dissents with the views of NBC, its parent company, GE, and all of the military contractors and their candidate-funding corporate interests. Corporate control of the media is one issue. Corporate media control of the information that is allowed to reach American citizens is much more dangerous, much more sinister, and much more un-American.

“When ‘big media’ exert their unbridled control over what Americans can see, hear, and read, then the Constitutional power and right of the citizens to vote is being vetoed by multi-billion-dollar corporations that want the votes to go their way,” the Kucinich campaign said.

The Kucinich campaign also filed an emergency complaint with the Federal Communications Commission last week because of ABC’s decision to exclude the candidate from a nationally televised debate, even though he was polling higher than Bill Richardson, who was allowed to participate.

Regardless of which candidate you are supporting in the Democratic primary, I hope you will join me in condemning these acts of censorship by the major networks. Remind them that the airwaves belong to the people. The American people deserve to hear real debates with dissenting opinions. It has been apparent all along that these networks have their pet candidates that they are pushing without regard to the will of grassroots supporters. The media thrive on a horserace mentality and leave little room for alternative viewpoints, especially from the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

You can contact NBC/MSNBC at (212) 664-4444 or by email: letters@msnbc.com.

Let’s support democratic ideals and the right of our candidates to be heard as well as our right to hear from all the candidates without the corporate interference of the major networks.