"In some cases, it is so much money that up to 35 percent of a station's total annual revenues can be derived from running political campaign ads."

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Letter, 12/28: Politics of the dollar
By Jake Jacobi, December 28, 2014

I reference your editorial "Worst political ad of the season," Oct. 23, in which you conclude that a particular ad run by the National Republican Congressional Committee on behalf of Lee Terry's campaign against state Sen. Brad Ashford was "politics at its worst." You said it was "totally false."

The title of a recent book, "Dollarocracy," has a very telling subtitle: "How the Money & Media Election Complex Is Destroying America."

The way this entire cesspool thrives today is very simple: A politically interested advocate puts together an ad, chock full of misrepresentations, to be run by a news broadcasting station, which gets paid a great deal of money to do so. In some cases, it is so much money that up to 35 percent of a station's total annual revenues can be derived from running political campaign ads. To top it off, they're for the most part, and virtually all the time, aware of what they're doing. As ex-N.J. Sen. Bill Bradley said: "You simply transfer money from contributors to television stations." We allowed this to happen.

People, remember this is a government of the people. Inform yourselves, then allow yourselves to be heard.
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