Saugus election a TV soap opera

SAUGUS – As the 2011 campaign season in gets underway, Town Meeting member and selectman candidate Robert Cox has taken issue with fellow candidate Mike Downing?s weekly Saugus Community Television show Downin? Town, saying equal time must be given to all candidates running for selectman.?The issue is, if you watch his show, which I rarely do, it?s like a half-hour running commercial on him,” said Cox. “That?s free airtime for him in a political campaign. The Saugus Cable Television has to provide equal time and equal access, meaning if he?s on Channel 8, I have to be given equal time on Channel 8.”Cox is referring to the Federal Communications Commission?s “equal time” rule, which requires radio and television stations to provide equal air time to candidates during political campaigns. If a station sells air time to one candidate, it must offer that same time to all other candidates.However, in an email from Jayda Leder-Luis, a spokesperson for the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, the rule doesn?t apply to public access stations.According to the Department of Telecommunications and Cable?s Equal Opportunity rule: “If a political candidate obtains time on a broadcast station, other candidates for the same office may obtain an ?equal opportunity? on that station. The equal opportunity rule applies to local origination channels and broadcast channels. It does not apply to access channels which are handled on a first-come first-served, nondiscriminatory basis.”Despite this, Downing, who has been hosting his show for more than two years, said any Saugus resident has an open invitation to host a show or appear on his.?Equal time means each candidate gets a half-hour a week,” said Downing. “That has been offered to every citizen of this town for the two and half years I?ve been doing this show. The goal of the show was to get people to pay attention to Channel 8 and to get people in for original programming. Now all of a sudden I?m running ? this comes up. It?s just silly.”SCTV Executive Director Rich Garabedian said he has made time available for anybody who is interested and has never denied anyone air time.?It?s not like we ever deny anybody access,” said Garabedian. “Not at all. I think there?s plenty of time, plenty of equal time and no one has ever been denied access. We constantly solicit different programs. But we put the opportunity out there all time. This town is so interested in government, you?d think someone would be chomping at the bit ?”Candidates Steve Castinetti and Matt Canterbury have both appeared on Downing?s show this past summer, and Castinetti said he hopes more candidates will do the same.?I already appeared on the show and everyone running for office has been offered the same,” said Castinetti. “I guarantee you Mike will give anyone the chance to appear on his show. If people are that upset, let them go on the show.”Cox however, said based on the way he?s been discussed on the show, he doesn?t think he would be given a fair shot.?Downing is offering the person on and he?ll interview them and be fair and open,” said Cox. “If you would listen to his comments about me in the past, I don?t think he?ll be fair and open.”While the equal time rule may not apply to SCTV, there is a provision in the Office of Campaign and Political Finance?s guide that prohibits using a public building for political campaigning. SCTV is located at Saugus High School.Roger Froilan, Operations and Program Manager for SCTV said the studio operates independently from the high school.?Even though this is a school, this is its own business,” said Froilan. “We?re a completely separate entity, it just happens to be at the school. High school kids aren?t allowed in here unless they?re with a teacher or a class.”Downing admitted he does spend time campaigning on his show, but he said anyone running for office can do the same if he or she wanted to.?I?m campaigning,” said Downing. “I don?t spend a half-hour campaigning but