This is and always has been unacceptable. Used to be we had a law acknowledging that broadcasters USE public common land, airwaves, etc. to do business, and the compact is that they also have a duty for their being ALLOWED to use it, to help inform the populus.

On top of that, they are hypoctritical. They do all kinds of fluff pieces, claiming "that's what the public wants", they try and PROVOKE people in a bid for better ratings, more viewers...so tell me, how come they want to have the debates be BLAND and SEDATE?
Candidates like Kucinich (my favorite...the only candidate I could vote for without holding my nose) no matter where one stands on the issues, he SHAKES things up, and SHAKES = RATINGS INCREASE!!!
SO, given that they do things all the time, for ratings, it is disengenious of them to pretend suddenly they are the Miss Manners and acme of decorum and only want "serious" candidates.

Bull. Some EARTH-SHAKER AND MOVER up in the top echelon of GM got on a phone, or sent a memo, decided to flex and censure a candidate they didn't like the message from. We mortals have to know how the "bigwigs" think of themselves...like they are morally better, smarter, and have all the answers. That WE need to be LEAD by the leash, or whip and carrot...

The disregard is palpable. And disgusting. BOYCOTT MSNBC.
BOYCOTT their sponsors. Tell them why. It is the only way.