NBC Files Equal-Time Announcement for Harris' SNL Cameo After Backlash

“Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, appeared without charge on NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL) for a total of 1 minute and 30 seconds on November 2, 2024,” the statement said.

Under normal circumstances, the filing would allow all other qualified candidates running against Harris to request the same airtime from NBC for up to a week. NBC would be required by federal law to grant it.

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Kamala Harris made a cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live on November 2nd. (NBC/Saturday Night Live)

The announcement comes after Commissioner Brendan Carr, the FCC's top Republican, criticized NBC's decision to host Harris on the final episode of SNL before Election Day without giving equal time to former President Trump or other candidates in the presidential cycle .

“It appears that at least some executives at NBC and SNL are making it clear that they wanted to advocate for a candidate before the election. That's exactly why we had the same opportunities for decades.” The rule is to prevent this. Because remember, broadcasters don't have a license like every other person on the corner that requires them to act in the public interest,” FCC Commissioner Carr told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview Sunday morning.

The NBC filing later Sunday confirms that the network “views the Harris SNL appearance as free use of its facilities and airwaves within the meaning of the federal equal time rule,” Carr told Fox News Digital later Sunday, emphasizing The limited time frame of Trump and others in this case have to accept the network's offer.

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In normal equal time cases, “there is typically a seven-day period during which all other qualified candidates can apply for equal time on NBC – that is, comparable time on a comparable program. Here, opposing candidates don’t have seven days,” Carr said.

The FCC commissioner made the comments on the ballot this weekend after dropping out of the race and endorsing Trump earlier this year.

The Federal Communications Commission's Equal Time Rule was established in 1934 and requires radio and television stations to provide equal time to competing political candidates. There are exceptions to the rule such as news programs, documentaries and political debates.

Senior adviser to the Trump campaign Jason Miller told Fox News Channel earlier this weekend that SNL did not invite Trump. Campaign spokesman Steven Cheung called Harris's appearance a sign of desperation to appeal to voters while “her campaign goes down the drain and into oblivion.”

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 2: Maya Rudolph and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris appear on NBC's Saturday Night Live on November 2, 2024 in New York City. (Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, Hillary Clinton's running mate in her failed 2016 presidential bid, also appeared in a skit Saturday as a game show contestant who couldn't remember who Kaine was.

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NBC also filed an equal-time announcement for Kaine's appearance, Carr told Fox News Digital. Kaine is running for re-election in Virginia against Republican challenger Hung Cao.

NBC News did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this report.