We all remember the 2012 presidential primary debates, with the liberal media interrogating our candidates on issues that were often not a priority to most Americans. It was a sad situation, a traveling circus, and it was because the mainstream media was in control of every aspect of those debates. They all wanted a chance to go after our candidates, and some of them clearly wanted to push a liberal agenda.

That’s not right. It’s not fair to our candidates; it’s certainly not fair to our voters. And it ultimately hurts both our party and the political process.

We need more conservatives involved in the debate process—most importantly, in the moderator’s chair.

That’s why the RNC took action this week to take ownership of the primary debates for 2016. Our candidates deserve a fair hearing. Our voters deserve a real debate. And the liberal media doesn’t deserve to be in the driver’s seat.

We need a debate process that helps to grow our party and doesn’t weaken our eventual nominee—whoever that person is.

Today, at the Republican National Committee Spring Meeting in Memphis, the RNC took the first steps toward making sure grassroots conservatives have a greater voice in the presidential primary debate process. By passing new rules governing debates, the days when the mainstream media was in charge are gone.

We’ve begun implementing a process in which the RNC will now have power over the timing, partners, and venue of debates. That way, we will be able to make room for more conservative journalists to participate in the debate process.

Debates should be a meaningful exchange of ideas, not shows designed to promote the networks’ interests. Giving conservatives a role in the process is the only we’re going to get to the issues that matter.