Key Highlights
- Related Stories News The Washington Post Seeks Court Order For Return Of Reporter's Electronic Devices Seized By FBI In Search Of Her Home News Gavin Newsom's Office Says Davos Speaking Gig Got Nixed Because Of Trump White House Pressure The FCC’s equal opportunity rule, also known as the equal time rule, requires that if a legally qualified candidate appears on a broadcast, a station has to provide airtime for rival candidates for the same office.
- There is an exemption for news programming, including newscasts, interview programs, certain types of news documentaries and “bona fide news events.” Watch on Deadline Over the years, the exemptions have been taken to include candidates who appear on talk shows like The Tonight Show and The View, appearances that have become much more commonplace since Bill Clinton played the saxophone on The Arsenio Hall Show during the 1992 presidential campaign.
- In 2006, the FCC determined that the interview portion of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno fell under the exemption, following an appearance by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on the late-night program.
- His rival in his reelection campaign that year, Phil Angelides, had sought equal time, but was rebuffed.
- While well-known political candidates have proliferated on talk shows in recent decades, were talk shows not exempted from such rules, it would put the burden on individual stations to provide the same airtime to far-less famous rivals.
