Final answer:
The FCC's Equal Time Provision requires radio and television stations to provide equal airtime to all political candidates when one candidate is given time. If one candidate is provided airtime for advertising or campaigning, all others must be given the same opportunity at the same rate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The FCC's Equal Time Provision mandates that stations provide equal airtime to all political candidates. This means that if a station sells or provides airtime to one candidate, it must offer the same opportunity to all other candidates running in the same political race, and at the same rate, which should not exceed the station's most favored commercial advertiser rates.
For example, if Fox5 in Atlanta gives Bernie Sanders five minutes of free airtime for an infomercial, the station must honor requests from all other candidates for five minutes of free equal air time.
However, the rule has exceptions, such as when the coverage is purely news-related or documentary content that focuses on an issue rather than directly providing a platform for a candidate.
Also, certain programs like the president's State of the Union speech may trigger the provision; however, only the opposing parties in Congress can offer an official rebuttal. Moreover, supporters of a candidate or cause might not be covered under the Equal Time Provision, which can be seen as a potential loophole.