NBC gives Donald Trump campaign time during NASCAR's “Sunday Night Football” in response to Kamala Harris' “SNL” appearance

In response to Vice President Kamala Harris' appearance, NBC is giving free advertising time to former President Donald Trump's campaign Saturday Night Liveincluding an unusual display during Sunday's NASCAR coverage, a source familiar with the matter says.

Harris appeared on Saturday SNL for one minute and 30 seconds, meaning NBC would have to give him about 90 seconds if another presidential campaign wanted it.

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On Sunday, NBC was broadcasting a NASCAR playoff race, but some viewers noticed toward the end of the broadcast (technically right after the race ended, but while coverage was still running) that Trump appeared in an unusual commercial and spoke directly to the camera , while wearing a red “Make America Great Again” baseball cap and claiming that Harris' election would cause a “depression” and that viewers should “go and vote.”

A source familiar with the matter says the spot during the NASCAR race was related to NBC giving equal time to the Trump campaign.

Trump received 60 additional seconds of campaign time during the NBC broadcast Football on Sunday evenings Cover. While the game was already over, the spot – which was the same one that aired during NASCAR coverage – aired during post-game coverage (and shortly after a paid campaign ad).

It's not clear whether it was the Trump camp or NBC that suggested NASCAR SNF Placements.

It's also not clear whether other campaigns have called for the same amount of time. However, if that's the case, NBC will likely have to make time for them given FCC rules. SNL Creator Lorne Michaels previously cited the rules in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter as the reason why the show did not feature Trump or Harris this cycle.

Harris appeared on SNL in a “cold open” sketch alongside Maya Rudolph, who plays the late-night comedy show's vice president. In the sketch, Rudolph's Harris sought a pep talk with the real Harris, with the pair ending the part by saying, “Keep Kamala and keep it up.”

However, the bill was rebuked by FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, who is considered a potential FCC chairman if President Trump is re-elected. Carr wrote that the sketch was “a clear and blatant attempt to circumvent the FCC's equal time rule” because it came just two days before Election Day, within the seven-day window the FCC allows for campaigns admits to demand equal time.

It is worth noting that, according to FCC regulations, the rule “does not require that a station provide opposing candidates with programming identical to that of the initiating candidate,” but rather comparable time and placement.

The quick turnaround for NASCAR and SNF The coverage suggests that the network is acting quickly to meet any claims from the same period.

Kimberly Nordyke contributed to this report.

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