The substance of yesterday’s debates was mostly what everyone expected — Shannon O’Brien and Mitt Romney discussed this year’s hottest campaign issues and traded barbs relating to their few differences. But the debate’s real controversy came before the candidates went on the air at 7 p.m. last night.

After unsuccessful bids to gain access to the debate without legal action, Green Party candidate Jill Stein, Libertarian Party candidate Carla Howell and independent candidate Barbara Johnson each attempted legal action to gain access to the debate or simply get the event canceled. Needless to say, judges rejected all three candidates’ legal maneuvers and the debate went on without any third party participation. The night’s only drama came at the beginning of the debate, as Green Party candidate for state representative Peter White shouted at the stage before being escorted from the premises by the police.

While adding some or all third party candidates might have added more mystery to the debate’s substance, the Boston Media Consortium, which sponsored and coordinated the debate, was fully within its rights to restrict the debate to O’Brien and Romney and control the debate’s content.

The debate did give unbalanced exposure to the gubernatorial race’s two main candidates. But the consortium, which includes five area television stations and The Boston Globe, had both the interest in and the right to control the debate as they did. Though the group provided a public service in holding the debate, they should not have been expected to be entirely selfless in publicizing the governor’s race. As a consequence for airing the debate, they were forced to give up more attractive programming and commercial minutes during important air-time. In return, they were correct in asserting some of their own interests.

However, the consortium should consider including more candidates in future debates. Stein and Howell, who both represent more extreme political bases, could enliven debates by forcing the two main candidates to discuss issues different from the safe, mainstream issues that have been raised during the campaign so far. Forcing O’Brien and Romney to answer questions from other candidates on their respective sides of the political spectrum could also make them take clearer, more politically risky stances on the issues. Few of either candidate’s comments raised eyebrows last night.

But though it may actually be in their interest to include a more diverse group in the debates, in the end, the Boston Media Consortium has the right to set the terms for any debate it coordinates. Because it is not obligated to give up valuable air-time in the interest of public service, it is fully within the consortium’s power to decide who should and who should not be included.