One thing that irks me working in the mainstream media is the omission of thrid party candidates.
My support for third parties goes all the way back to the sixth grade when I pulled for Ross Perot in a mock election in 1992.
The media continues to propogate the Republican/Democrat paradigm, making no mention of third party candidates in national and even local coverage.
As Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) made his way through the colonial capital tonight, the local media was there. In the coverage, Democratic opponent Elaine Marshall was mentioned, but Libertarian candidate Mike Beitler was left out. Although he appears on the ballot, you will not hear his name in any coverage of the race.
I thought it was the media’s job to inform the public. The media fails in that task when candidates like Beitler don’t get a fair shake, but are rather shaken off, as if they don’t even exist. Several weeks ago, Beitler was in the east, and received very little coverage.
More candiates would have a shot and would have higher poll numbers if the media did its job and let the public know who these people are. Usually when I advocate mentioning third parties, I get strange looks from producers and reporters alike.
About the only time the Libertarian Party got any press coverage is when it sued the State of North Carolina to be placed back on the ballot.
The debates are the same. Third party candidates are often not invited to participate. That’s because those in power want to stay in power and don’t want anyone rocking their boat.
indieregister.wordpress.com 
I have been lucky here in Burke and Caldwell County. They have invited me to a number of forums and to talk on radio. BUT when there was an interview for the Morganton rag, I was left out. The LP has an uphill battle and with the money the RINO and DINO have it will be a long battle.
“Third party candidates are often not invited to participate. That’s because those in power want to stay in power and don’t want anyone rocking their boat.”
And this is what it all boils down to…
As a follow up. I contacted the Morganton paper and they were not happy that I was left out of the article. That night a reported called and we talked for over an hour. She was upset that she had not called me for the first interview. I got my shot in and we talked LP for a very long time.