Carr continued: “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.”
Waiting for Fox News to be called out…
Why not? What’s the difference at this point? These rules were made before the Internet existed
Because the FCC’s authority over content is contingent on its authority to license portions of the electromagnetic spectrum for broadcast.
I’ll preface this by saying, I’m not arguing this is how it should be, this is just how it is.
Freedom of speech/press takes precedence unless there is a very compelling reason to make an exception. The only reason the FCC has any power over political content on the electromagnetic spectrum is because it’s a limited resource. Therefore to keep it fair, there is an exception to freedom of speech that allows the government to regulate it.
Those spectrum limitations do not exist on cable, therefore freedom of speech takes precedence. If Fox News wants to give trump more time than Harris (how they choose to operate their business according to freedom of speech), plenty of other channels exist on cable to give Harris time as well.
Reagan killed the equal time rule in 1985. Surprised they don’t know this.
https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/topic-guide/fairness-doctrine
"Fowler began rolling the application of the doctrine back during Reagan’s second term - despite complaints from some in the Administration that it was all that kept broadcast journalists from thoroughly lambasting Reagan’s policies on air. In 1987, the FCC panel, under new chairman Dennis Patrick, repealed the Fairness Doctrine altogether with a 4-0 vote
The FCC vote was opposed by members of Congress who said the FCC had tried to “flout the will of Congress” and the decision was “wrongheaded, misguided and illogical.” The decision drew political fire and tangling, where cooperation with Congress was at issue. In June 1987, Congress attempted to preempt the FCC decision and codify the Fairness Doctrine, (Fairness in Broadcasting Act of 1987 S. 742).
The bill passed but the legislation was vetoed by President Ronald Reagan. Congress was unable to muster enough votes to overturn the President’s veto."
To clarify, Reagan and his appointees killed the Fairness Doctrine, which was an FCC policy that required broadcasters to provide equal coverage of political issues. The Equal Time Rule, on the other hand, only stipulates that broadcasters can’t deny equal access to some candidates that it gives to others, with the notable caveat that it doesn’t need to offer equal access to all candidates - they only need to provide it if asked. That rule (ETR) is still in effect, but it only means NBC needs to allow Trump equivalent time if he asks for it. So this trump-appointed FCC stooge is mischaracterizing his own agencies policy to cry “corruption”. What a pos.
The fairness doctrine is not the same as the equal time rule. Equal time rule still exists.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-time_rule
The equal-time rule should not be confused with the now-defunct FCC fairness doctrine, which dealt with presenting balanced points of view on matters of public importance.
As Trump’s GOP simultaneously decries FCC overreach, any form of oversight at all, and has - many times - sworn to abolish the FCC altogether…
Their response “Fuck off Nazi shit stain!” or something like that.
