Comments on Advance Indiana™: Hampton's Political Opponent Forces Him Out Of Council Race

I correct myself. The Equal Time Rule didn't apply...

2007-02-15T12:21:00.000-05:00

I correct myself. The Equal Time Rule didn't apply to cable channels which ran old Reagan or Schwarzenegger movies. It did apply to the broadcast networks.

Same thing happened to State Rep. Dave Crooks. He...

2007-02-15T10:52:00.000-05:00

Same thing happened to State Rep. Dave Crooks. He had to give up being on the air on the radio stations he owns because of this rule (Or he could have given his opponents equal time on the radio)

It's a fairly well known rule, not obscure, and cost Rep Crooks having to hire new on air DJ/hosts to take his place.

The FCC granted waivers of the equal time rule for...

2007-02-15T10:06:00.000-05:00

The FCC granted waivers of the equal time rule for the Reagan and Arnold movies. Mike Pence was the host of a program on WIBC. It didn't matter whether he was a conservative talk host or a music DJ. Equal time applied. In Wil Hampton's case it didn't matter that he was a "sports" guy. He could have applied to the FCC for a waiver, but I doubt it would have been granted. What I don't understand is did Hampton alert his employers that he was running for office. Did they sign off, without checking with the FCC? If they did, then they did Hampton a disservice.

She knew she couldn't beat him in the primary, so ...

2007-02-15T09:53:00.000-05:00

She knew she couldn't beat him in the primary, so this was the only way to continue her campaign. Will is a good family man, he shouldn't have been put in that situation.

I would point out that the FCC allowed broadcasts ...

2007-02-15T09:37:00.000-05:00

I would point out that the FCC allowed broadcasts of old Reagan movies when he ran for president, and Arnold Schwarzenegger's movies played while he was a candidate for governor of California. In both cases, equal time rules were not applied. It seems to me that if the candidate's reason for being on air arises out of the ordinary course of their regular employment, the rule should not apply as long as the person is making no statements in furtherance of his/her candidacy. In the case of Mike Pence, it was a problem because his radio talk show on WIBC was all about politics and advancing his political causes. It was appropriate for WIBC to make him step aside. Hampton does not cover the news in his job. He's strickly a sports reporter. The rule should not have been used against him.

The FCC rule involved is not obscure or vague. It ...

2007-02-15T07:07:00.000-05:00

The FCC rule involved is not obscure or vague. It is very clear. If a candidate for office appears on a TV or radio or cable broadcast, NOT in connection with an appearance on a news broadcast which includes some talkshows specifically exempted from the equal time rule (i.e. Larry King, Oprah, Bill O'Reilly)the opponent MUST be given equal time. This occurs only IF the opponent requests it. In the case of an on air employee of a TV or radio station or cable company, if that employee appears on air and is a legitimate candidate for office, that station is liable to provide equal time to their employee's opponent. But again, if the opponent brings it to the stations attention. There have been instances of employees of local stations who have been candidates for office before. Those employees were taken off the air for the duration of their campaign (primary or general). Wil Hampton should have known that or done the research. Obviously, his opponent did.