How Much Control Does A Television Station Have Over The Content Of Political Ads?

When a legally qualified candidate for public office airs a spot, the candidate is protected by the “no-censorship” provision of the Communications Act. The television station is not allowed to revise the spot in any way, nor can it remove the spot for any reason. The stations are immune from libel and defamation liability. Political issue ads that do not feature the candidate do not fall under the “no-censorship” provision. Therefore, the station is obligated to screen the ad to ensure sources support the message.

Did You Know That Some Political Candidates Can Be Prevented From Running Television Ads?

Television stations must provide reasonable access to Federal candidates. State and local candidates have no right of access to television and radio advertising time. A television station can determine that it will not accept political ads for local and state races. Most local television stations do, however, choose certain elections to allow political advertising. The reason television stations do not accept any and all ads for local races is because they have limited inventory and don’t want to “run off” their other advertisers. While considering the needs of our local advertisers, which are certainly important to us, Channel 3 makes every effort to accept political ads on every local and state election.

"I’m Running For Political Office And I Approve This Message"

There are three rules that apply to political advertising for Federal candidates.

The commercial spot must (1) Identify the candidate who is being featured; (2) state that the candidate has approved the message; and (3) identity the payor. To make sure that all of the television viewers are very clear on these requirements, television stations must examine every political spot. 

The candidate must be in full view in no less than 80% of the full television screen or an identifiable photograph with the candidate’s voice. The identity of the payor must be legible, visible on at least four percent of the screen and run for a minimum of four seconds.

Do Politicians Pay The Lowest Advertising Rate On A Television Station?

Do politicians pay the lowest advertising rate on a television station? Under FCC rules and regulations, television stations must offer political candidates the lowest unit rate (that is a rate equal to the lowest amount paid by regular advertisers) on the station during the political “window” which is 45 days before the primary and 60 days before the general election. Politicians must be offered the same rate as the station’s most favored advertisers. Lower rates are offered to politicians, but any advertiser wishing to pay the regular rate will pre-empt the ad of the politician. Stations are also authorized to offer a higher rate to guarantee the political ad will not be pre-empted. In summary, politicians are entitled to no more preference than any other television advertiser.

Are Television Stations Required To Take All The National Races Political Ads?

By November 2012 you will have seen more political ads than in any election. It’s anticipated there will be an increase of 9-18% over the $2.3 billion spent in the 2010 election. There are several causes for the increase, including the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that eliminated many restrictions for corporations spending political ad dollars. 

Are television stations required to take all the national races political ads? Federal law, enforced by the FCC, requires that LEGALLY QUALIFIED FEDERAL CANDIDATES must be provided reasonable access to use broadcast stations during their candidacies.

Nevadans will be voting for six Federal offices: President/Vice-President, four Congressional seats and one Senate seat. With the Democratic Presidential Caucus on January 31, the Republican Presidential Caucus two weeks later followed by the Super Bowl the next day, you will be flooded with National political ads.

10 Reasons Why People Don't Vote

Here are ten reasons surveys show why people don’t vote. Most of the reasons simply have no merit. Look at the ten and add to them excuses you have found people use to stay away from the polls. Send your lists to me and we will follow up in future twitters with our own poll.

1. Some people feel their vote won’t count so they say “Why vote”?

2. Students and employees report they are too busy to take time off from work or school.

3. Some Americans are not interested in voting or politics.

4. People who are ill or disable can’t get to the polls.

5. Illegal immigrants are not authorized to vote.

6. Many non-voters say they just don’t like the candidates.

7. Some residents don’t have transportation to get to the polls.

8. Citizens might be out of town on vacation or business trips.

9.  Forgetting to vote is a common explanation.

10.  Many Americans complain the voting lines are too long.

What then is the answer to the dilemma created by the Citizens United case which opens the financial spigots of the rich to buy our elections?

One simple solution is suggested in another portion of the Citizens United case where eight of the nine Supreme Court Judges agreed that laws requiring disclosure of the source of money for broadcast ads were permissible. These disclosure acts must be strengthened. The rich may try to buy elections, try to buy our representatives and try to control our laws and therefore our country. But it will help protect us immeasurably if we know how much money the rich are spending and what politicians they are buying.

Roadblocks To Prevent People From Voting

I am also not up in arms about the Republicans setting up a whole new line of roadblocks to prevent people from voting. Not one of these roadblocks does anything more than make voting more inconvenient. This country has lost thousands of its young men and women who were killed protecting the right to vote. How can any American now refuse to vote because voting has been made more inconvenient?

How can we be concerned about the Republicans undue voter restrictions when 70% of the voters, who have never been prevented from voting, never voted anyway?