The Equal Time Law, passed by Congress in 1934, still exists. It has been pruned back by court decisions that say “bona fide news shows” are exempt. However, a “bona fide news show” must include more than one candidate. On October 9, Rush Limbaugh interviewed President Trump for two hours, and no other candidate was on the same show.
On October 13, Howie Hawkins, Green Party nominee, asked for equal time. The equal time law is in section 315(a).
Equal Time Law = Blatant 1 Amdt violation.
RED communists suing [yet] ???
Don’t lots of shows have candidates on but not all candidates? Also, how do they define a “bona fide news show”?
Limbaugh is an opinion show, not a “news show”.
I was also thinking that Limbaugh’s show would be more in the opinion category.
Most news outlets are biased, some just make it more obvious than others.
New Age media re govts —
talking heads –
30 pct facts – 70 pct BIAS opinions ???
Text media –
20 pct facts – 80 pct BIAS opinions ???
What seems to more than justify “equal time” (for Biden and Jorgensen — the only other candidates on all 50+ state ballots) is how the Rush-Trump show was officially portrayed/characterized. Days before the airing of that particular show it was promoted by the show’s hosts as ‘the largest ever town-hall’ and ‘rally’ for a candidate! During the show itself Rush boastfully reiterated that description.
O’er the decades, countless times, Rush and other radio/tv hosts have interviewed candidates but it was always depicted as an interview (to glean the guests stands and policies).
But this event was not couched nor promoted as such.
So Joe & Jo have standing to demand at least half the time that The Donald was gifted.
Hmm? Might that Rush/Trump Show be deemed a contribution?
Hopefully Howie Hawkins will get some time on the Rush Limbaugh show. Don’t know how the Limbots will take it. Maybe he could search for common ground – he could call for legalizing Oxycontin.
I agree with Demo here; the Equal Time law does violate the First Amendment.
Considering the media rallies around Biden, this is equal time for Trump. Hawkins is being ignored because he had no shot.
Hawkins is also being ignored because he is not a Democrat or a Republican.
I don’t think that the Limbaugh broadcast would be considered to trigger the equal time requirement because the law says, “Appearance by a legally qualified candidate on any—
(1) bona fide newscast,
(2) bona fide news interview,
(3) bona fide news documentary (if the appearance of the candidate is incidental to the presentation of the subject or subjects covered by the news documentary), or
(4) on-the-spot coverage of bona fide news events (including but not limited to political conventions and activities incidental thereto),
shall not be deemed to be use of a broadcasting station within the meaning of this subsection.” (47 U.S.C. § 315(a).)
If Limbaugh interviewing Trump counts as a “bona fide news interview,” then the equal time law doesn’t even come into play. And there are so many loopholes that have been written into the equal time law that I think it probably would count as such.