NBC files FCC 'equal time' notice after Kamala Harris appears on 'SNL'

[Polybius]

Source: MSN

NBC has filed a notice with the Federal Communications Commission and will provide former President Donald Trump with "equal time" following a brief appearance by Vice President Kamala Harris on "Saturday Night Live."

Harris appeared on the sketch comedy show Saturday hosted by John Mulaney, in a skit offering advice in the mirror to comedian Maya Rudolph, who has played Harris in the leadup to the election.

Following her brief stint on the show, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr posted on X, formerly Twitter that it was a "clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC's Equal Time rule." Carr, a senior Republican on the commission who was appointed by Trump, went on in the post to suggest NBC should offer equal time to "other qualifying campaigns."

In the notice filed Sunday, NBC said Harris appeared "without charge" on "SNL" for 1 minute and 30 seconds. The broadcaster provided Trump airtime Sunday, CNN's Brian Stelter reported, giving the former president an opportunity to directly address viewers during the NASCAR 2024 Cup playoff race.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/nbc-files-fcc-equal-time-notice-after-kamala-harris-appears-on-snl/ar-AA1trXAr?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=53d47e1ffcf840ab9df7304d9af5ed99&ei=30

[catrose]

1. Equal time? I haven't heard about that since the Reagan administration

[onenote]

2. As a long time communications attorney, I hear about it every two years.

It rarely makes the national news, although it has from time to time, such as when there was speculation that Law and Order re-runs might trigger equal time requests based on Fred Thompson's 2007 candidacy. Another example was when when equal time requests were made after Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared on the tonight show in 2007 and the FCC held that the appearance was a bona fide interview and thus exempt from the rule.

[MayReasonRule]

4. Hmmm... I Thought Reagan Killed The FTC Equal Time Rule Entirely...

[onenote]

5. The "equal time" rule is a statutory requirement that is completely separate from the fairness doctrine

It was unaffected by the FCC repeal of the agency's fairness doctrine.

It is intended primarily to ensure that an equal amount of reasonably priced advertising time is made available to competing candidates. It also applies to "free" appearances.

NBC gave Trump "equal time" because the law requires them to do so.

If you are curious, here is more information:
https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/political_programming_fact_sheet.pdf

[MayReasonRule]

10. Right On Y'all!! I Appreciate The Clarification!!!

[niyad]

3. SERIOUSLY????? When in the FUCKING HELL has the corporate, reichwing-owned

media EVER given the Democrats "equal time" with their billions of dollars worth of free airtime and coverage to the FUCKING ORANGE TRAITOR**, since June 2015???

[onenote]

6. Probably every day of the campaign.

The rule ensure that an equal amount of reasonably priced advertising time is made available to competing candidates. It also applies to "free" appearances. It does not apply to news or interview programming.

Stations can't sell ad time only to one candidate and can't charge one candidate a different amount than it charges a competing candidate -- which party do you think benefits more from that protection?


Here is more information if you'd like to learn more about the "equal time" -- really "equal opportunities" rule: https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/political_programming_fact_sheet.pdf

[niyad]

8. You know, some of us have very good memories. And we remember the 2016

election cycle, when all one saw was endless coverage of the orange TRAITOR**, including hours of looking at empty lecterns at his rallies. A visitor to this planet would not have realized that there was, in fact, another candidate.

[onenote]

9. Which has nothing to do with the equal time rule which expressly does not apply to news programming.

Why is news programming exempt? Because a government mandate directing a station to give "equal time" to all candidates in news programming would be struck down by the Supreme Court, unanimously, in a nanosecond.

[live love laugh]

7. Trump is on tee vee every fricking day. Where's Harris' equal time?

[onenote]

13. The equal time rule does not apply to news programming or interviews.

It is intended primarily to ensure that an equal amount of reasonably priced advertising time is made available to competing candidates. It also applies to "free" appearances that aren't part of news coverage or interviews.

NBC gave Trump "equal time" because the law requires them to do so.

If you are curious, here is more information:
https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/political_programming_fact_sheet.pdf

[SpankMe]

11. What about Tim Walz appearance on Colbert last night?

Is that right-wing crank at the FCC complaining about that?

[onenote]

12. No, because the equal time rules don't apply to late night interview/talk shows.

FCC decided this 18 years ago.

https://www.broadcastlawblog.com/2006/10/articles/fcc-rules-leno-is-bona-fide-news-program/

[OrwellwasRight]

14. thanks for educating everyone in this thread!

I bet a few lurkers learned something, too!