Kasich seeks equal time to Trump’s ‘SNL’ appearance
Published 11:08 am Wednesday, November 18, 2015
COLUMBUS — Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s presidential campaign has filed a request with NBC and its affiliates seeking equal time following real estate mogul and reality TV star Donald Trump’s appearance hosting Saturday Night Live.
Trump, who filed as a candidate for president in June, hosted the comedy program on Nov. 7.
In a letter to NBC and its affiliates, the Kasich campaign’s lawyer, E. Mark Braden, said both Trump and Kasich are “legally qualified candidates for the Republican nomination” and that they are “requesting equal opportunity for the use of the facilities” that aired the episode.
Kasich’s campaign said that Trump’s Saturday Night Live appearance is not exempt from the “equal time” rules of the Federal Communication Commission, because the show is not “a bona fide newscast,” “a bona fide news interview,” “a bona fide news documentary” or “on the spot coverage of bona fide news events.”
Trump appeared onscreen for 12 minutes and five seconds of the 90-minute episode.
Two of Kasich and Trump’s fellow Republican candidates, former New York Gov. George Pataki and U.S. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, have filed similar requests with the network.