Did SNL Violate the FCC Equal Time Rule

FCC Commissioner blasts Harris’ SNL appearance as ‘clear and blatant effort’ to evade Equal Time rule https://t.co/G6xUpY3BMj pic.twitter.com/Gairb9npR3

— New York Post (@nypost) November 3, 2024

Brendan Carr, FCC Commissioner

This is a clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC's Equal Time rule.

The purpose of the rule is to avoid exactly this type of biased and partisan conduct - a licensed broadcaster using the public airwaves to exert its influence for one candidate on the eve of an election.

Unless the broadcaster offered Equal Time to other qualifying campaigns.

Jacqui Heinrich, FoxNews Senior White House Correspondent

Trump campaign senior advisor tells FOX that SNL did not extend an invitation to President Trump.

Also worth noting that SNL’s executive producer said last month he had no plans to invite either candidate, because of this very law:

“You can’t have the main candidates without having all the candidates, and there are lots of minor candidates that are only on the ballot in, like, three states and that becomes really complicated,” Lorne Michaels told the Hollywood Reporter.

In the 2016 cycle, President Obama’s FCC Chair made clear that the agency would enforce the Equal Time rule when candidate Trump went on SNL.

NBC stations publicly filed Equal Opportunity notices to ensure that all other qualifying candidates could obtain Equal Time if they… pic.twitter.com/CZkaeGyRhL

— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) November 3, 2024

… sought it.

Stations did the same thing when Clinton appeared on SNL.

Federal law requires that broadcasters provide comparable time and placement to all legally qualified candidates when the Equal Time rule is triggered.

With only days before the election, NBC appears to have structured this appearance in a way that evades these requirements.… pic.twitter.com/PjrgWCqsgy

— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) November 3, 2024

… What comparable time and placement can they offer all other qualifying candidates ?

Just weeks ago, SNL’s Lorne Michaels said that they *would not* be bringing any of the candidates on due to election and equal time laws:

“‘You can’t bring the actual people who are running on because of election laws and the equal time provisions,’ Michaels said.” pic.twitter.com/xtfnNFXdfr

— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) November 3, 2024