Panel Seeks Free Air Time for Candidates

Broadcasters should allow political candidates free air time before each election, a presidential commission says.

The panel, which meets today to draft its final recommendations, has been considering requesting that broadcasters voluntarily give air time. Lacking a consensus, however, it may recommend mandatory free time.

Under the commission’s recommendation, broadcasters would provide voluntarily five minutes of free air time each night in the 30 days leading up to an election.

Viewers are unlikely to see changes for a long time, given that virtually all the recommendations would have to be implemented by the Federal Communications Commission or Congress.

President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore have pushed for mandated free time.