Supreme Court orders TV stations to sell election ads at lowest rates
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that television stations must offer political parties and joint fundraising committees the same lowest ad rates legally mandated for individual candidates.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order on Friday requiring broadcast TV stations to sell election advertising time to political parties and joint fundraising committees at the lowest unit charge. This decision followed a petition from the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
The ruling comes just before a legally mandated 60-day pre-election period during which broadcasters must offer discounts to individual candidates. The Supreme Court's order extends this requirement to parties and committees, which often have fewer restrictions on fundraising and spending.
The "lowest unit charge" (LUC) is a legal requirement for licensed stations airing election ads. It mandates that the lowest price be charged for ad time used in connection with a candidate's campaign. The key legal interpretation centered on whether "use by" a candidate could encompass ad time purchased on their behalf by political organizations.