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Talk show hosts running for office

P

Puget Sound Radio

Is there any requirement for a host to leave his/her show if running for public office? I know Dave Ross took a leave of absence for his congressional race.

Paul Akers is running for the US Senate seat. He also hosts a weekend show in Bellingham. Does the station have to give equal time to his opponents if he stays on the air? Just wondering?
 
I would think that he will have to give up his position -
I don't like the idea of radio talk hosts (regardless of party affiliation) running for office. It would be like having Mitch Levy (KJR) become the GM or Head Coach of the Seahawks.
 
Puget Sound Radio said:
Is there any requirement for a host to leave his/her show if running for public office? I know Dave Ross took a leave of absence for his congressional race.

Paul Akers is running for the US Senate seat. He also hosts a weekend show in Bellingham. Does the station have to give equal time to his opponents if he stays on the air? Just wondering?
Click to expand...

There is no requirement...BUT the station(s) carrying the host's show would be obligated to provide "equal time" to any opposing candidates at no charge. So unless Mr. Akers is paying (bartering) for his time on the air you can bet he'll be taking a leave shortly.
 
Some 40 years ago in Portland, Oregon Journal columnist and KLIQ talk show host Doug Baker ran for Portland City Council. His opponent wanted equal time from the station. The owner said, OK, Doug does the show (9a-12n) Monday to Wednesday, you do it Thursday to Saturday. A regular general-interest call in show. The opponent wanted spots, the owner said that's not equal, so you get nothing. Doug did his show Monday-Friday through the election... which he lost.

RJ
 
The term is EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, and it applies to legally qualified candidates, which means that the person is qualified for the ballot under state election law. And the election must be in the station's coverage area.

A person does not become qualified for the primary until he/she files for office. And he/she becomes qualified for the general election upon being one of the top two in the primary.

If a station elects to keep an employee on the air after becoming legally qualified, then an opponent may ask for Equal Opportunity. The station will need to keep in the public file a tabulation of every minute the employee talks on the air, including commercials. The opponent may (within 7 days) ask for all of that time and he/she can use it in any way, including commercials, even when the show host was merely reading the weather.
 
And if I got this slightly wrong (possible), Mark Allen at WSAB knows this stuff forward and backward.
 
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