What is the “equal opportunities” rule of political cablecasting?
Once a cable system allows a legally qualified candidate to use (identifiable appearance by voice or picture) its facilities, it must afford “equal opportunities” to all other legally qualified candidates for that office to use its facilities. The cable system may not censor the content of the candidate’s material in any way, and many not discriminate between candidates in practices, regulations, facilities or services rendered pursuant to the equal opportunities rules. Candidates must submit requests for equal opportunities to the cable system within one week after a rival candidate’s first use of the cable system. If the person was not a legally qualified candidate at the time of the rival’s first use, he or she may submit a request within one week of the rival’s next use of the cable system after he or she becomes a legally qualified candidate. Q: Does a legally qualified candidate’s appearance on a newscast trigger the equal opportunities rule? A: No. Candidate appearances which ar
