Debates / Equal Time

[Shawn Mamros]

>There are those who would say the major parties created the FCC's equal time 
>rule (which I think is still in effect as opposed to the Fairness Doctrine) 
>to prevent broadcast stations from giving time to minor candidates knowing 
>full well the incumbency would always get news coverage far in excess of the 
>fringe candidates. [...]

So far as I know, the Equal Time rule is still on the books.  However,
a notable part of that law makes a specific exemption for "newscast(s),
news interview(s), news documentar(ies), on-the-spot coverage of news
events or panel discussion(s)".  Nowadays, this is interpreted so broadly
that a show like "Entertainment Tonight" is considered a bona-fide
newscast (!), so for all intents and purposes the law has no teeth.

Even if there was a situation where it could be enforced, the only
way it would happen would be if an opposing candidate were to call
it out.  Today's FCC isn't going to go out of its way to look for
violations of the rule on its own.  And I think that, with the
exemption above being interpreted so broadly, most candidates'
staffs have pretty much given up on the concept of equal time,
if they even know the law exists in the first place.

-Shawn Mamros
E-mail to: mamros -at- mit dot edu