Meister Files Complaint Against WTTW

By Joseph Erbentraut in News on Jan 20, 2010 9:15PM

Jacob Meister, an underdog candidate for the Democratic nomination to the Burris U.S. Senate seat, filed a complaint with the FCC today against WTTW Channel 11 for excluding him from a debate scheduled for this evening. Meister says the station's action is in violation of both FCC equal-access election rules and the Communications Act of 1934.

Meister's camp has reportedly been going back and forth with station producer Jay Smith on the issue for days. According to Meister spokeswoman Karen Craven, WTTW has claimed the event is a forum, rather than a debate, and is not subject to the FCC regulations. WTTW has also cited "news judgment" in evaluating Meister as a non-factor in the race, based on the most recent polling data (a December Trib poll) which showed low support - less than five percent - for the candidate.

Craven and attorney David Axelrod contest these claims, pointing to a news story the station aired last week which stated Meister "could be a surprise candidate" in the race for the Democratic nomination as many likely voters remain undecided. They say the poll WTTW cited was taken before their campaign launched a series of television ads statewide. And they feel the fact that Meister is openly gay has something to do with it as well: They plan to lodge a discrimination complaint against the station pending the FCC's review of the complaint.

"The perspective I bring to this race - from the LGBT community - is an important one and the station is making an arbitrary determination of who's relevant without any accurate polling data," Meister told Chicagoist. "This type of censorship of diverse views should not be tolerated."

Alexi Giannoulias has consistently led the race for the Dem nomination over Cheryle Jackson, David Hoffman and Meister. With the Democratic Party's epic fail in Massachusetts yesterday, this is certainly a race that will be watched closely. The primary is Feb. 2. The debate - er, forum - is scheduled to air at 7 p.m. tonight.