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.
- President Ronald Reagan, Republican, revoked the equal time rule in the 80s.
- The equal time rule was limited to news broadcasts in the public interest. It did not apply to entertainment like late night talk shows.
- The FCC has no jurisdiction over cable TV, Satellite TV, or streaming providers. Only over the air broadcasts are regulated by the FCC.
The FCC has no jurisdiction over cable TV, Satellite TV, or streaming providers. Only over the air broadcasts are regulated by the FCC.
Any source on this? Wikipedia says the opposite:
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, Wi-Fi, satellite, and cable across the United States.
There is no statutory authority for the FCC to regulate content over any medium other than over the air broadcast which is licensed. There are regulations that affect regional monopoly status, pricing, etc.
The FCC also has no authority to regulate content in print media, recorded music, live performances, etc. It exists to regulate limited access to public airwaves, not privately owned infrastructure.
I don’t think they thought this one through. You absolutely don’t want to be putting republicans on stage with comedians that’s a really bad idea.
Most of these shows would love to get a republican on so they could ask them very simple questions that they know they won’t be able to answer.
This is where the old Stephen Colbert would have come in handy. Most conservatives had no idea he was making fun of them.
The Bush administration asked him to appear at the White House Press dinner, because they thought he was a Republican, and would roast all the liberals.
That’s how stupid the Bush Administration was, and yet somehow the Republicans figured out to be stupider, and invented MAGA.
I would love a return of the FCC equal time rule.
I’m tired of republican propaganda and bullshit dominating the news every goddamn day.
With this administration you know some ideas will be considered more equal than others.
Do it and ask hard ball questions. “So, rightwing sociopath, what do you think Trump’s favorite part about fucking children is?”
Well of course, first and foremost he likes their small hands. It makes him feel more naturally proportioned.
Just let those talk show hosts roast every damn one of them with continuous accurate questions designed to hurt their weak feelings. Should be a dream for some of these guys who you can tell would really like to rip on some of their guest. Let them all keep score by how many they get to leave the interview.
The fuck kind of rule is that?
Is this why we have to entertain anti-vaxxers?
Anti vaccine dickheads will not even be the worst, we will have to have nazis come on and argue for exterminating half the population, in thinly veiled terms. Fun times. It was always going to happen with captured opposition parties and no one trying to free them though fyi.
It’s a rule from the early 1900’s when there were only like 3-4 news sources reaching 100% of the people, instead of today where hundreds of sources can sometimes reach as little as 1-3% of people and some only reach 40-50% max.
Well also back then there was a common reality, and none of the sides lied through their teeth to try and overthrow representative government, proscribe their opponents and critics, to justify federal agents summarily executing someone on the street under false pretense and to persecute her associates, etc.
It’s going to be so ironic if actual leftists use this to get air time
Now we come to the section of the show we would really like everyone to switch off from, where somebody with an actual qualification and experience in the subject matter explains how we’ve spent the last 45 minutes effectively lying to you.
Thats assuming they don’t just enforce this one way. With Trump, you have to expect it’s going to be one set of rules for his friends and an entirely different set of rules for everyone else.
It’s only going to apply to left-leaning shows by forcing them to host conservatives.
Right-leaning shows will find some way to get the supreme court to side with them and give them an exemption.
That would be applied to both sides, yes?
The republican news sources are generally cable in part to avoid any accountability
Well you say that but CBS…
And what about news shows, including those that are claimed not to be news shows in order to avoid regulation?
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?
please, bring it back. it’s what created modern fox news https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairness_doctrine
How does the View not count an interview program? It doesn’t specify the quality of the interviews.
What republican not infested by brainworms WANTS to go on these shows?
Hell Trump famously avoids anything not Fox News because hes a pussy ass bitch that can’t handle criticism.
I’m glad somebody’s finally taking on the important issues affecting the American people.
