FCC commissioner says NBC violated “Equal Time” rule when Kamala Harris appeared on “SNL”

Carr doesn’t even know how Equal Time works.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ cameo on Saturday Night Live this weekend became controversial, but not in the way one would expect.

The Democratic candidate for President appeared on NBC with Maya Rudolph, who plays her in sketches on the iconic Emmy-Award-winning variety series, now in its 50th season. Her appearance lasted about 90 seconds.

But some fifteen minutes after her appearance, Republican FCC commissioner Brendan Carr posted on X/Twitter that it ran afoul of the equal time rules. “This is a clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC’s Equal Time rule,” said the commissioner. 

On Monday morning, however, Carr doubled down on his statements, saying on Fox Business Mornings With Maria that NBC “could lose its license” after Harris’ SNL appearance- echoing language former President and current Republican candidate Donald Trump (as this space has said repeatedly, the broadcast networks do not have licenses; local stations do.) Carr was appointed to the FCC in 2017.

The rule does require local radio and TV stations to offer rival political candidates equal time – but only if the candidate requests it. “Equal opportunities generally means providing comparable time and placement to opposing candidates; it does not require a station to provide opposing candidates with programs identical to the initiating candidate”, the FCC policy states. The Equal Time rule was one of the reasons why Dr. Oz’s daytime show was pulled from the airwaves immediately in Northeastern markets after he announced a run for a Pennsylvania Senate seat. 

The FCC told The Hollywood Reporter that it “not made any determination regarding political programming rules, nor have we received a complaint from any interested parties.” NBC told the FCC the SNL appearance was “without charge”. NBC offered the Donald Trump campaign equal time, providing a 90-second message during its NASCAR coverage and at the end of Sunday Night Football, which they did take. 

SNL has long featured political candidates as hosts or making cameos, such as John McClain in 2008 and Trump himself as host in 2015. 

Regarding Carr, his comments on Fox Business this morning and his incorrect assessment of the equal time rule make one wonder if he is qualified to serve in his position. As I pointed out earlier in this space, broadcasters would have more to lose than to gain if Trump returns to the White House, as Carr had a sympathetic ear to him after he claimed a recent 60 Minutes interview with Harris was maliciously edited and said the network “should lose its license.” If Carr doesn’t know the rules or the agency’s policies, then why in the hell is he commissioner in the first place? 

If this is truly the case, then Carr has no business being in this position. He should resign immediately. 

 

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