§  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).