There is no violation of the law in anything you are complaining about. It might demonstrate basic unfairness about candidate coverage, but there is no rule violation. Although the FCC licenses broadcast stations, we have virtually no control over the content of what is broadcast. That's because the First Amendment guarantees broadcasters free speech to air pretty much whatever they want (short of obscenity or indecency). Further, the Communications Act, which established the FCC back in 1934, has a provision that specifically prohibits the FCC from censoring broadcast content. As a result, the FCC cannot tell stations and networks what to air or what not to air. There is, however, an equal time law that does require stations giving air time to one candidate to give air time to opponents, as well. Nevertheless, Congress has carved out several exceptions to that rule, including candidate appearances on newscasts, most interview programs, and in debates. Consequently, a station or network could have some candidates on in those formats but not all of their opponents. So if a station chooses not to cover - or even mention - one candidate on its news, it is entitled to do so. Similarly, it can exclude whatever candidates it wants from candidate debates. The equal time rule is largely aimed at paid political advertising, such that if one candidate purchases time on the air, his opponent is entitled to buy an equal amount of time. Finally, yours is one of many complaints that we have received over the years about Fox's newscasts, but as I explained above, they can air pretty much whatever they want on the news - even if it's false, misleading, or slanted.
Sincerely,
Mark Berlin
Policy Division (political office)
Media Bureau
