Demand for Equal Airtime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Demand for Equal Airtime - Essay Example The essay "Demand for Equal Airtime" talks about the Donald Trump’s appearance and hosting of the Saturday Night Live- SNL show that has raised alarm among three other Republican presidential nominee hopefuls. Trump’s appearance has been observed as free publicity offered to the Republican presidential nominee front runner. There is need for all political candidates and opponents to get equal opportunities for airtime. This allows and enables for the notion of free and fair elections as prescribed in the constitution. All candidates should be equally endeared to the public in regards to publicity stints offered by non-news programs. Under the equal-time rule, US television and Radio broadcast stations are tasked to provide equal opportunity to any political candidate opponents who request it. The rule was created because the FCC believed that broadcast stations could easily influence elections results by showcasing just a single point of view while excluding other candi dates. The equal time rule does not apply to news interviews, documentary, on the spot news or a scheduled newscast. Therefore, the three republican presidential nominee hopefuls are well within their rights to demand and file requests for equal airtime as that accorded to Trump on SNL which is a non-news program. The three GOP hopefuls have exercised their right in a bid to gain free publicity as well as aim to increase their low poll numbers. Under the FCC’s ‘equal time rule’, if a candidate receives a minute on a non-news shot.