### NBC Grants Former President Trump Equal Airtime Following Kamala Harris' 'SNL' Appearance

NBC responded to a request from former President Donald Trump's campaign, granting him equal airtime on the network after Vice President Kamala Harris made an appearance on "Saturday Night Live" just days ahead of a crucial election. Harris was featured in the opening sketch of the show alongside Maya Rudolph, who often portrays her on the comedy program.

Harris' appearance came as her campaign plane, en route to Detroit, was redirected to New York, and her participation was only announced a few hours before the episode's 11:30 p.m. Eastern time slot. NBC subsequently filed an equal time notice with the Federal Communications Commission, indicating Harris had been on the network for a minute and a half.

In keeping with the FCC’s equal time provision, which guarantees that no legally qualified candidate is unfairly disadvantaged in terms of airtime, Trump’s campaign contacted NBC and was granted two 60-second free spots. These segments aired towards the end of a NASCAR playoff race telecast and during the post-game broadcast of a "Sunday Night Football" game, where the Minnesota Vikings triumphed over the Indianapolis Colts 21-13.

The equal time rule primarily pertains to broadcasters utilizing public airwaves, exempting news shows but ensuring that candidates receive comparable opportunity for public exposure. This provision does not affect cable or streaming platforms. Legal provisions also enable other qualifying presidential candidates to request similar airtime.

NBC is no stranger to navigating the equal time rule in its entertainment lineup. The rule previously necessitated Trump's departure from his starring role on "The Celebrity Apprentice" after he declared his candidacy in 2015. Prior instances include Trump's 2011 announcement at an NBC advertiser event that he would not run for office against Barack Obama and would instead return for another season of his reality show.