Recently, National Public Radio has run commentary and news on the presidential election to be held in France on April 22. Twelve candidates are on the ballot. NPR pointed out that all candidates on the ballot receive 45 minutes of free TV time. Also, TV news is required to equalize its coverage of anyone on the ballot, on a per-week basis. Thus, if a particular station has carried 90 seconds about one particular presidential candidate, before the week is out, it must have carried 90 seconds about each of the other candidates. Presidential candidates get on the ballot with a petition of 500 signatures of Mayors.