As you have just written, and just as Ron Paul was excluded by FOX news, there are hidden reasons why they do not want Kucinich and Paul to have the spotlight. The corporations want to control the agenda, and these guys' candidacies pose a very real threat to Corporate America. The Des Moines Register/Gannett, FOX news, ABC news, and now NBC/G.E. are playing God. With more exposure, these candidates might let viewers know that there are alternative ideas/solutions out there. Their ratings might go up. That cannot be allowed to happen. Corporate America counts on their ability to manipulate the public, and they're very good at it, because WE let them. Americans ARE media illiterate, myself included (but I'm trying to change, I've read "Coercion" by Douglas Rushkoff). I'm tired of being told UP IS DOWN and DOWN IS UP. As long as we allow ourselves to be manipulated, we have only ourselves to blame for the lousy leaders we keep getting. Advertising is the Art of Deception, and you're the victim.
If our leaders keep holding a greater allegiance to the Almighty Corporations than to the citizens, we will lose any semblance of a real democracy!