Thursday, 26 December 2024

NBC Gives President Trump Free Commercial Slots, Here’s Why

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NBC granted the Trump campaign two free commercial slots on Sunday following the uproar over Kamala Harris’ surprise ‘SNL’ appearance.

After Harris appeared in an ‘SNL’ skit Saturday night, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said it was 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,” Carr said.

“NBC News filed an Equal Time notice with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) late Sunday following the backlash, disclosing Harris ‘SNL’ appearance after the network was accused of violating the longstanding rule,” Fox News reports.

NBC gave Trump commercial slots during the network’s coverage of the NFL Sunday Night Football game and NASCAR playoff race.

WATCH:

Per Fox News:

An election ad for former President Donald Trump aired on NBC toward the end of the broadcast of NASCAR’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway and the NFL’s coverage of the Minnesota Vikings-Indianapolis Colts game on Sunday night.

The ad started with “A special message from Donald J. Trump.”

Trump was seen with his “Make America Great Again” hat as he told viewers that electing Vice President Kamala Harris would bring along another “depression.” He also told viewers to go out and vote with only a handful of hours left before Election Day comes and goes.

“We’re losing everything, including viability,” Trump said in the ad. “We’re going to end up in a depression based on what’s been happening. We’ve never seen anything like it, at least in the last 40 years.”

The appearance of the Republican presidential candidate appeared to be connected to Harris’ surprise appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” according to multiple reports.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Harris appeared on Saturday’s SNL for one minute and 30 seconds, meaning that if another presidential campaign requests it, NBC would need to give it about 90 seconds of time.

On Sunday, NBC broadcast a NASCAR playoff race, but some viewers noticed toward the end of the broadcast (technically right after the race ended but while coverage was still ongoing) that Trump appeared in an unusual ad, speaking directly to camera while wearing a Red “Make America Great Again” baseball cap, and claiming that electing Harris would cause a “depression” and that viewers should “go and vote.”

A source familiar with the matter says that the spot during the NASCAR race was connected to NBC giving the Trump campaign equal time.

Trump was given 60 additional seconds of campaign time during NBC’s Sunday Night Football coverage. While the game was already over, the spot — which was the same one that aired during the NASCAR coverage — aired during the post-game coverage (and shortly after a paid campaign ad).

It is not clear whether it was the Trump camp or NBC that suggested the NASCAR and SNF placements.

It is also not clear if any other campaigns have requested equal time. If they do, however, NBC will likely need to find time for them, given the FCC rules. SNL creator Lorne Michaels previously cited the rules in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter as a reason why the show hadn’t had Trump or Harris on during this cycle.


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