NBC has filed for an Equal Time notice with the Federal Comunications Commission after Vice President Kamala Harris' surprise appearance on "Saturday Night Live" caused issue with the organization.
On Saturday evening, Harris appeared on the show in a sketch alongside Maya Rudolph impersonating Harris. However, the appearance was met with pushback from FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, who argued that that stint violated the “equal time” rule. The FCC's rule requires American radio and television broadcast stations to give equal access to opposing political candidates.
In the filing, NBC stated that Harris appeared on "Saturday Night Live" "without charge" for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Following Harris on "Saturday Night Live," CNN reporter Stelter said that the broadcaster did provide Donald Trump airtime to address viewers Sunday during the NASCAR 2024 Cup playoff race.
Carr posted on X that Harris's appearance was a "clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC's Equal Time rule." According to USA Today, Carr is a Republican on the commission appointed by former President Trump. In a series of posts, Carr implied that NBC should offer equal time to Trump.
Carr explained, "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."
This is a clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC's Equal Time rule.
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) November 3, 2024
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.… https://t.co/LliZF0po9t
