Gateway Pundit highlights a landmark in the decline of television news: a Democrat candidate for the Senate, Claire McCaskill, has purchased coverage from a St. Louis television station.

The local STLMedia website this week reported that Democratic Senatorial Candidate Claire McCaskill made a deal with News Channel KMOV to buy Rams football tickets so the game would be aired by KMOV if the channel would film her giving them to area children.

The NFL television contract blacks out local telecasts of games in their home market when unsold seats remain. Not infrequently, a local business steps in to buy up the seats and permit fans unable to afford tickets to watch their home team. But when a political campaign does so, it is another matter entirely.

First, giving something of value to potential voters can be construed as a bribe. Second, if the television station explicitly agreed to give coverage, it is indeed guilty of selling news programming.

Both the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Elections Commission should immediately open investigations of this troubling incident.

Hat tip: Rosslyn Smith

Thomas Lifson   9 11 06