FCC disputes long-standing view that the shows are exempt from equal-time rule.
The equal-time rule, formally known as the Equal Opportunities Rule, applies to radio or TV broadcast stations with FCC licenses to use the public airwaves. When a station gives time to one political candidate, it must provide comparable time and placement to an opposing candidate if an opposing candidate makes a request.
The rule has an exemption for candidate appearances on bona fide news programs. As the FCC explained in 2022, “appearances by legally qualified candidates on bona fide newscasts, interview programs, certain types of news documentaries, and during on-the-spot coverage of bona fide news events are exempt from Equal Opportunities.”
Entertainment talk shows have generally been treated as bona fide news programs for this purpose. But Carr said in September that he’s not sure shows like The View should qualify for the exemption, and today’s public notice suggests the FCC may no longer treat these shows as exempt.
He’s going to be pretty disappointed when he tries to kill The View. They have ALWAYS included Republican hosts on the show, and they treat them with respect, even when the Republican didn’t show respect in turn (like that shrieking Meghan McCain).
Right now, there are TWO Republican representatives on The View, so he’s going to have a hard time claiming they are only spewing a left wing perspective. His real problem is that his own party is so toxic, the Republican reps on The View are generally against MAGA, too. That isn’t political, it’s just moral.
Is his argument going to be that all broadcasts MUST be the same as the ADMINISTRATION’S opinion?