The television commission is in favor of limiting the number of debates to the top two candidates. The television commission believes that limiting the number of debates will reduce the amount of in

In defense of the television commission's decision, it can be argued that the exclusion of a third-party candidate from a televised debate does not necessarily violate the candidate's right to free speech as per the Television Commission vs. Forbes 1998 case. There are four main points to consider in this regard. First, broadcasters, even those styled as "public," are not obligated to offer airtime to every candidate; rather, they have the right to exercise editorial discretion, a right protected under the First Amendment. Second, exclusion is not synonymous with suppression and the candidate is free to use other means of communication to reach the voters. Thus, the principle of free speech is maintained. Third, the candidate's inclusion has implications on the quality and credibility of the debate, therefore, it can be permissible to exclude candidates deemed to lack a realistic chance of winning. Fourth and finally, allowing every aspirant regardless of their perceived political potential would potentially over-extend the broadcasting capacity, which would be an impracticable imposition on the broadcasters. These points, taken together, buttress the decision of the television commission's exclusion of a third-party candidate from the televised debate.