As of 1995, there were several formulas for allocating free broadcasting time, which will be discussed here.
Equality between Parties
Czech Republic: In the electoral campaign, all political parties contesting the elections are allotted a total of twenty-one hours of broadcast and television time which is divided among them equally. The actual hour of presentation for each party is determined by lot.74
India: Party political broadcasts were first arranged on radio and television during the 1977 state elections, with the order of speaking arranged by drawing lots. This followed agreement by all parties that they would have equal time. 75
Mexico: The 1993 amendments to the electoral code charged the Federal Electoral Institute with buying and allocating fifteen minutes per month on television and radio for each party. 76
Allocation of Time to Party Candidates in the Current Election
Japan: Candidates of any party that puts forward at least twelve candidates are given the same amount of broadcasting time. Candidates receive less time if parties run fewer than twelve candidates. In the Upper House, every candidate (regardless of party endorsement) is given five and a half minutes of free broadcasting time. Candidates are not permitted to buy broadcasting time. Parties are permitted to buy advertising time, provided that their advertisements call for support for the party, not for specific candidates. (Information supplied by Gerald Curtis.)
Allocation Based Wholly or Largely on Results of Previous Election
Belgium: Free access to the state-owned television network is in proportion to the strength of each party group at the level of the European Union.
Greece: The allocation of time among political parties is based on the size of the party in the previously dissolved Parliament. The three largest parties in the previous Parliament are entitled to at least thirty-eight minutes weekly on televised programmes. Smaller parties with members in the previous Parliament are entitled to eight minutes weekly. Parties with no representation in the Parliament, but with a list of candidates in seventy-five percent of the electoral districts, are entitled to five minutes weekly. In addition, each large party is entitled to one forty-five minute broadcast.
Spain: The formula is:
- ten minutes for parties, federations, or coalitions which did not participate, or did not have representation in the previous election
- fifteen minutes for those with up to five percent of the vote at the previous election
- thirty minutes for those with between five and twenty percent; forty-five minutes for those with at least twenty percent
Allocations Based on a Mixture of Principles
Israel: The allocation of broadcasting time is based on a compromise between the status quo and the new situation.
[e]ach party, including those which were not represented in the previous parliament, has been given ten minutes and each party already represented in the outgoing parliament receives three additional minutes for each member in the parliament.77
The Netherlands: The allocation is based on a compromise between the principle of equality, and that of preference for large parties, as defined by the number of seats contested in the current election. In the period preceding an election the Media Commissariat (established under the Media Law) may allocate extra time to political parties and groups which have submitted a list of candidates in all nineteen electoral districts. 78
Turkey: All parties participating in the election are entitled to ten minutes. Parties with parliamentary groups may receive ten more minutes. In addition, the governing party is entitled to another twenty minutes, and the main opposition party to another ten minutes.79
Allocations Agreed by a Committee of Broadcasters
Australia: The Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC), the public broadcasting authority, is not obliged by law to provide free broadcasting time to participating parties in an election. It is up to the discretion of the ABC's Election Coverage Committee to determine how the public is to be informed on 'issues of current debate.' In the past it has been its policy to allocate free time.
Great Britain: A committee is formed from representatives of the broadcasting authorities and the political parties. The committee tries to agree on a fair allocation. In the past, this has consisted of a number of elements. First, the two main parties have received equal shares. The share of the third party - the Liberal Democrats - has been based partly on the result of the previous election, and partly on its subsequent performance in partial elections, local government elections, and in the polls. Moreover, the formula has usually given the third party a share which is, on the one hand, smaller than that of the main parties, and on the other hand, larger than its pro rata share, as measured either by its previous or current political showing.
The formula that has normally emerged has, therefore, reflected a compromise between a number of conflicting ideas of 'fairness'. Moreover, it has reflected the fact that the broadcasting authorities have the final authority to decide on what they consider to be a reasonable allocation, if there is no agreement between the political parties. Finally, if the broadcasting authorities make a decision in the wake of disagreement between the parties, it is open to any of the parties to take the matter before a court of law. It will then be up to a judge to decide what is 'fair'. See also Regulation of Media.
#EndNotes
#1. Sources: Library of Congress, Law Library, Report for Congress: Campaign Financing of National Elections in Selected Foreign Countries. Washington, DC: July 1995, LL95-4, 95-1354: 58.
#2. ibid.: 103-4.
#3. ibid.: 159
#4. ibid.: 5
#5. ibid.: 171
#6. ibid.: 194
Draft Only
