What Is the Equal-Time Rule, and Did SNL Break It?

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  • SNL’s Possible Law Violation and History of Political Guest Stars

As a devoted cinema enthusiast with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that I have been captivated by the fascinating interplay between politics and pop culture, particularly on Saturday Night Live (SNL). The show’s ability to seamlessly blend humor and political commentary has always been its forte.

It’s important to note that election time is here! Over the past couple of weeks, candidates have been making their case to American voters across various media platforms. Although most of these interactions have taken place through traditional interviews and rallies, there have been instances where politics and popular culture overlapped.

The latest sketch featuring political satire was featured on this weekend’s episode of Saturday Night Live, their final show prior to the upcoming election. Known for pulling out all the stops every four years by inviting prominent guest stars to portray candidates, SNL has had notable performances such as Alec Baldwin playing Donald Trump, Tina Fey as Sarah Palin, Dana Carvey, Jim Carrey, and Jason Sudeikis impersonating Joe Biden. This season notably saw Maya Rudolph reprise her Emmy-winning role as Vice President Kamala Harris, a character she originated during the 2020 election cycle, being an alum of SNL.

In an unexpected turn of events, Rudolph was accompanied by a unique visitor as the authentic Harris made an appearance alongside her imitation in the opening scene of the show. The response to Harris’ guest spot, unsurprisingly, divided viewers along political lines. However, there are questions about whether NBC broke the law by hosting the vice president. This rule is known as the equal-time rule and requires that both opposing political candidates receive comparable airtime. But when and why does this rule apply? Let’s examine SNL’s actions to understand what sparked viewer outrage.

What Is the Equal-Time Rule?

Essentially, the equal-time rule is a principle that requires broadcasting stations to offer equal opportunities to all major political candidates when they allow one to use their resources for election purposes. This doesn’t necessarily mean the appearances have to be campaign-related; if viewers can reasonably recognize a candidate by their face or voice on screen, it triggers the equal-time rule.

Broadcasters should carefully select who they feature, but it is the responsibility of the candidates, rather than the broadcaster themselves, to request equal airtime when needed. Candidates usually have a week to submit a request for equal opportunity after their rival has been shown, and this requirement applies not only to new appearances but also to previous ones as well. For instance, during Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, some stations opted not to air movies or TV shows featuring him to avoid breaching this rule.

In simpler terms, for a candidate to qualify, they must meet the legal requirements for the position they’re running for and secure a spot on the ballot. The time they receive doesn’t have to be at the same show or time, but an equivalent amount of airtime on the same broadcast station is required. However, not all media appearances fall under this rule. News programs, interviews, debates, and political conventions are exempted. This rule primarily applies to traditional broadcast networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, etc., so appearances on cable or streaming platforms don’t have to adhere to it. The definition of what constitutes a “news” program can be quite broad. For instance, shows like Entertainment Tonight and TMZ are considered news programs by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), making them exempt from this rule.

SNL’s Possible Law Violation and History of Political Guest Stars

The equal-time rule became a topic of conversation after Vice President Harris made a surprise appearance on the latest episode of Saturday Night Live over the weekend. During her visit, she acted alongside Maya Rudolph’s impression, offering encouragement. Notably, many viewers noticed that NBC might be giving an unfair advantage to one of the two main political candidates by providing this opportunity. This observation was further emphasized by FCC commissioner Brendan Carr who stated that SNL’s last-minute revelation about Harris’ guest spot, which was announced only a few hours before the show aired, seemed like an attempt to sidestep the rule.

He pointed out that they could have steered clear of issues if other campaigns had been informed prior about Harris’ appearance. Yet, different reports claimed it was not NBC’s duty to inform candidates about the VP’s guest role. Instead, it falls on the Trump campaign to ask for a counterpart airtime. Interestingly, even Trump himself took the stage as a complete SNL host during his initial run in 2016.

After the fact, SNL informed the FCC about Harris’ 9-minute guest spot. This action allows other candidates to ask for 9 minutes of NBC broadcast time. However, the commission disputed Carr’s viewpoint, claiming they hadn’t received complaints from opposing campaigns following Harris’ appearance. Regarding Harris’ presence on SNL, it was a significant change from Lorne Michaels’ earlier stance (as reported by The Hollywood Reporter). In an October interview, the head of SNL stated that neither Harris nor Trump would appear on SNL due to equal-time issues. Despite differing opinions on whether the Harris-SNL event was legal, NBC did grant Trump equal airtime. As a result, 9 minutes of free campaign ads were shown during NBC’s Sunday coverage of NASCAR and NFL events.

This late-night program has consistently featured actual politicians without hesitation. Recently, Nikki Haley made an appearance in a cold opening this year, and at that time, no issues regarding equal time were raised, possibly due to her not being seriously considered for the presidency at the time. Previously, both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have graced the show before the 2016 election campaign. In addition, Clinton, Barack Obama, John McCain, and Sarah Palin made appearances in 2008. Presidents Joe Biden, George H.W. Bush, and Gerald Ford have been guests on the show as well, but they appeared via pre-recorded messages rather than live performances.

Contrary to certain opinions, it appears that Saturday Night Live (SNL) remains highly significant in public perception. The uproar over equal-time appearances suggests that even those who criticize the show acknowledge its potential to sway upcoming elections. This week will reveal the extent of this influence. You can catch the most recent episode of SNL on Peacock.

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2024-11-06 04:31