The Federal Communications Commission’s equal time rule, as stated under the 1934 Communications Act, entitles Donald Trump’s rival GOP candidates to an equal amount of airtime on NBC affiliated stations following the real estate mogul’s Saturday Night Live appearance.
Trump’s appearance on the show added up to a total of just over 12 minutes. John Kasich, Mike Huckabee, Lindsey Graham, George Pataki, and Jim Gilmore have all filed requests with NBC stations, as reported by CNN.
Kasich and Huckabee have reportedly been offered 12 minutes of broadcast time on their requested stations during the 9 p.m. hour on Nov. 27 and when SNL airs the following night. None of the mentioned candidates have been invited to appear on SNL, which is not required by the FCC’s equal time provision.
Graham has sent requests to stations that broadcast in Iowa and New Hampshire, while Pataki has made requests to stations in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and New York.