Networks To Offer Candidates TV Time

NEW YORK (AllPolitics, May 7) -- In a move to expand meaningful political coverage, two TV networks -- CNN and CBS -- said today they will offer major presidential candidate time within their news programs. CNN President Tom Johnson said it will offer major candidates five minutes each week for four weeks during prime time in its "Inside Politics" program at 8:30 p.m. (ET). The segments will also air during the 4 p.m. (ET) edition of "Inside Politics." Candidates will be invited to discuss domestic policy, international affairs, the budget and economy, and one topic to be determined by the news of the campaign. "We decided that this additional time for Americans to hear the unobstructed voices of the major candidates would benefit voters in making this important choice this fall," Johnson said.

Earlier in the day, CBS responded to a call for free prime-time TV time by saying it was willing to give the candidates additional coverage on its news programs.

That's not quite what former Washington Post reporter Paul Taylor had in mind when he wrote all the major networks requesting two to five minutes of free, prime-time air time for unedited, unmoderated pitches by the major candidates.

"I say this is a delicious half-loaf, and I congratulate CBS for offering it, but it's still only half a loaf," Taylor said.

CBS Inc. Senior Vice President Martin Franks told Taylor in a letter that viewers would not welcome Taylor's original idea, which he pitched to CBS, ABC and NBC. "We do not believe," Franks wrote, that "the interruption of prime time programming with more political messages will be welcomed by viewers."

Franks says CBS will conduct a nationwide poll to determine the issues most important to voters. Then, candidates would be invited on CBS shows to discuss those issues.

CBS is the first network to respond to Taylor's letter, which was signed by numerous media and political heavyweights, including former network anchors Walter Cronkite, John Chancellor, Roger Mudd and Robert MacNeil. Several U.S. senators, including Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.) and Bill Bradley (D-N.J), signed the letter as well.

Fox Broadcasting and the Public Broadcasting Service have already announced plans to offer free time to the candidates. Taylor, who now is a consultant for the Pew Charitable Trusts, still hopes to persuade CBS to embrace his original idea, which he thinks will provide the voters a more straightforward presentation of the candidates' views on the issues. NBC and ABC have yet to respond to the idea.

CNN has already aired more than 30 hours of major candidate interviews and debates, and the network offered each Republican candidate free air time in December 1995 before the primary contests. The network plans "beyond gavel-to-gavel" coverage of both national conventions and will air an extensive series of hourlong campaign specials during "CNN Presents..." on Sunday nights this fall. It also will air all of this fall's presidential and vice presidential debates.

We Want Our Free TV -- April 3, 1996
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Networks To Offer Candidates TV Time

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