WXIA in Atlanta has released an explainer video about political ads for its viewers.
The NBC affiliate said: “During the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial campaign, 11Alive was bombarded with a flood of email complaints when then-Republican candidate (and now governor) Brian Kemp aired television commercials that appeared to show him loading a shotgun while talking to a nervous teenager.
Despite numerous email complaints, 11Alive was unable to alter, modify, or otherwise change the commercial in any way.”
Georgia is a key state in the presidential election and rather than assume everyone knows the rules, and in an attempt to head off future complaints, the station posted the story on its website. From WXIA:
While most advertising is subject to the rules and regulations of the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission, political advertising—and particularly political ads placed as part of a candidate’s campaign within 45 days of a primary election or 60 days of a general or special election—is subject to an entirely different set of requirements.
According to the FCC, a person who has publicly announced his or her intention to run for nomination or office, who is qualified to run under the relevant federal, state or local laws, and who meets all other necessary qualifications to run for and hold the office sought, is permitted to purchase political advertising time within 45 days before a primary election or 60 days before a general or special election in which the person is a candidate.
In addition, broadcasters may not censor or alter the content of political advertisements in any way. The advertisements must be broadcast in their original form – even if their content deviates from the normal program content that the broadcaster would normally broadcast.
A broadcaster is also prohibited from rejecting a candidate’s political advertisement, regardless of its content.
I think it can’t hurt to remind viewers what is and isn’t allowed during the election campaign.
TVSpy also wonders whether other markets have made attempts to educate viewers about the rules regarding political ads.
The network also said: “So the bottom line is that not everyone has to agree with the political ads that are currently airing or the messages they convey,” the network wrote. “11Alive does not have the power to change them – no matter what we think – one way or the other.”
