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media regulations by the government through the past 100 years.
Cable television system operators generally make their own selection of channels and programs to be distributed to subscribers in response to consumer demands. The Commission does, however, have rules in some areas that are applicable to programming -- called "origination cablecasting" in the rules -
"equal opportunities" rule of political cablecasting
Once a cable system allows a legally qualified candidate to use its facilities (by identifiable voice or picture), it must give "equal opportunities" to all other legally qualified candidates for that office to use its facilities. The cable system can not censor the content of the candidate's material in any way, and can not discriminate between candidates in practices, regulations, facilities or services rendered pursuant to the equal opportunities rules. -
Does a legally qualified candidate's appearance on a newscast trigger the equal opportunities rule
No. Candidate appearances that are exempt from the rules include appearances on a bona fide newscast, bona fide news interview, bona fide news documentary, or on-the-spot coverage of a bona fide news event. -
How much can a cable system charge political candidates for advertising
Cable television systems can only charge political candidates the "lowest unit charge of the station" for the same class and amount of time for the same period during the 45 days preceding a primary or runoff election, and 60 days preceding a general or special election. Candidates should be charged no more per unit than the system charges its most favored commercial advertisers for the same classes and amounts of time for the same periods. -
What can a person do if he or she is attacked personally on a cablecast?
The personal attack rule applies when "an attack is made upon the honesty, character, integrity, or like personal qualities of an identified person or group" during origination cablecasting concerning controversial issues of public importance. A cable system must give the following to the person or group attacked within one week: (1) notification and identification of the cablecast; (2) a script, tape or accurate summary of the attack -
What personal attacks are exempted?
The rule exempts the following: (1) attacks by political candidates and their associates on other candidates and their associates, including attacks that occur during "uses" by candidates; (2) attacks made during bona fide newscasts, bona fide news interviews, and on-the-spot coverage of bona fide news events; and (3) attacks on foreign groups or foreign public figures. -
Can a cable system endorse or oppose a political candidate in an editorial?
Can a cable system endorse or oppose a political candidate in an editorial? -
Can a cable system carry advertisements for lotteries?
A: Cable systems are generally prohibited from transmitting information or advertisements concerning lotteries or other schemes offering prizes dependent upon chance in exchange for consideration. The lottery rule exempts information about a state lottery cablecast by a system located in that state or in another state that conducts a state lottery, or by a system that is integrated with a cable system in such a state, if it is technically unable to terminate the transmission to other -
How can viewers tell when certain cable programming is paid for by a particular person or group?
he sponsorship identification rule requires the identification of the sponsor of any cablecasting that is presented in exchange for money, service or "other valuable consideration." All political spots must contain a visual sponsorship identification in letters equal to at least four percent of the screen height and the identification must be on the air for at least four seconds. -
How much advertising can a cable system transmit during children's programming?
Cable operators can transmit no more than 10.5 minutes of commercial matter per hour during children's programming on weekends, and no more than 12 minutes of commercial matter per hour on weekdays. These limits were imposed pursuant to the Children's Television Act of 1990, which restricted the amount of commercial matter that both television broadcasters and cable operators can air on programs originally produced and broadcast primarily for children 12 years old and younger.