TV Time

Talk shows and the FCC are fighting over equal time.

Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission said it’s investigating whether ABC’s “The View” interview with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico (D) violated the equal time rule, a 1934 provision requiring broadcasters that give airtime to one political candidate to offer comparable time to opponents. 

Historically, talk shows have been treated like news broadcasts and exempt from the rule, but the FCC now says it has “no evidence” that the shows “qualify” for exemption. 

News of the ABC probe comes as CBS’s “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” pulled a separate interview with Talarico to avoid equal-time scrutiny. Colbert said his network prematurely bowed to regulators, and other FCC critics say the “government intimidation” violates free speech. 

CBS aired Colbert’s interview on YouTube instead, and Talarico’s campaign raised a record $2.5M.

Verse to consider whether you’re fighting for more air time or wishing for some peace and quiet… “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:3-4 (CSB) (read full passage)

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