FCC Chairman Clarifies Equal-Time Rules Following Senator's Interview

On September 12, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr confirmed that a recent ESPN interview featuring Republican Senator Ted Cruz did not violate the agency's equal-time rule. This clarification follows a warning issued to ABC concerning a Democratic candidate's appearance on a late-night program.

Carr explained that the equal-time rules, which mandate that TV networks provide airtime to opposing candidates, do not apply to Cruz's segment on ESPN's 'College GameDay' because the law is relevant only to broadcast TV stations, not cable programs. Furthermore, he noted that Cruz is not a legally qualified candidate for the upcoming midterm elections.

This statement came shortly after ABC faced scrutiny for airing an interview with James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for Texas' U.S. Senate seat, on YouTube rather than on its network, in response to the FCC's warning. Talarico is competing against Republican Ken Paxton in a significant race for control of the U.S. Senate.