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Friday, August 31, 2007
8/31: TNT sticks with L&O repeats w/Thompson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Actor and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson has declared his intention of running for president, but Atlanta’s TNT has decided to stick with “Law & Order” episodes in which he is included.
“TNT has no plans to alter its programming schedule,” a spokesperson for the cable network told the Hollywood Reporter.
The Federal Communications Commission mandates that broadcast TV stations must give “equal time” to presidential opponents beyond news events. But the FCC has not yet enforced this rule on cable networks. Cable networks have in the past voluntarily stopped playing films featuring actors who became political candidates such as Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
NBC has already said it would stop airing “Law & Order” reruns after Sept. 1 with Thompson if he said he’d run. Thompson played District Attorney Arthur Branch on the show until he bowed out this spring. According to imdb.com, he has been on 116 episodes since 2002.
TNT airs the show frequently. Last week, “Law & Order” was on 28 times, representing one-sixth of the schedule.
Sam Waterston will take over as DA with his character Jack McCoy.
