Sec.  76.1612   Personal attack.

   (a) When, during origination cablecasting of issues of public importance, an
   attack is made upon the honesty, character, integrity, or like personal
   qualities of an identified person or group, the cable television system
   operator shall, within a reasonable time and in no event later than one (1)
   week after the attack, transmit to the person or group attacked:

   (1) Notification of the date, time, and identification of the cablecast;

   (2) A script or tape (or an accurate summary if a script or tape is not
   available) of the attack; and

   (3) An offer of a reasonable opportunity to respond over the system's
   facilities.

   (b) The provisions of paragraph (a) of this section shall not apply to
   cablecast material which falls within one or more of the following
   categories:

   (1) Personal attacks on foreign groups or foreign public figures;

   (2) Personal attacks occurring during uses by legally qualified candidates;

   (3) Personal attacks made during cablecasts not included in paragraph (a)(2)
   of this section and made by legally qualified candidates, their authorized
   spokespersons or those associated with them in the campaign, on other such
   candidates, their authorized spokespersons or persons associated with the
   candidates in the campaign; and

   (4) Bona fide newscasts, bona fide news interviews, and on-the-spot coverage
   of bona fide news events (including commentary or analysis contained in the
   foregoing programs, but, the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section
   shall be applicable to editorials of the cable television system operator).