Agency guidance stated there will not be automatic exemptions for late-night and daytime talk show appearances.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently issued guidance indicating that interviews with political candidates on televised late-night or daytime talk shows generally may not qualify for exemptions from federal “equal time” requirements. The agency said broadcasters should not rely on a 2006 FCC Media Bureau’s decision involving an appearance by then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, noting that no current programs have demonstrated eligibility for the same exemption.
“The FCC has not been presented with any evidence that the interview portion of any late night or daytime television talk show program on air presently would qualify for the bona fide news exemption,” the FCC wrote. “Moreover, a program that is motivated by partisan purposes, for example, would not be entitled to an exemption under long-standing FCC precedent.”
The recent FCC Media Bureau guidance “encourages all television broadcast stations to ensure that they are making all appropriate equal opportunity filings.”
The FCC encouraged stations seeking certainty to file petitions for declaratory rulings and reminded broadcasters to ensure compliance with equal opportunity filing requirements. The guidance follows recent scrutiny of candidate appearances on entertainment programs and reflects the agency’s broader effort to clarify how longstanding broadcast rules apply in modern media environments.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Chairman Carr and members of the FCC as they update interpretations of the Fairness Doctrine ahead of this year’s midterms.
- For FCC officials as they work to ensure airtime is balanced for all candidates.
- For wisdom for U.S. communications personnel in their application of election-related broadcasting rules.
Sources: Newsmax, Politico,
