N.J. Admin. Code § 19:25-16.39

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 19:25-16.39 - Application to sponsor debates

(a) To be eligible for selection by the Commission to sponsor one or more of the interactive gubernatorial primary election debates, an organization:

1. Must be unaffiliated with any political party or with any holder of or candidate for public office;

2. Must not have endorsed any candidate in the pending primary election for the office of Governor and must agree not to make any such endorsement until the completion of any debate sponsored by the organization; and

(b) Any association of two or more separately owned news publications or broadcasting outlets, including newspapers, radio stations or networks, and television stations or networks, having between or among them a substantial readership or audience in this State, and any association of print or broadcast news or press service correspondents having among them a substantial readership or audience in this State, shall be eligible to sponsor any such gubernatorial primary election debate.

(c) Written applications by organizations to sponsor a gubernatorial primary election debate or debates shall be submitted to the Commission on a form provided by the Commission not later than March 15 of any year in which a primary election is held to nominate candidates for the office of Governor. The written application shall set forth the following information:

1. The time and date of broadcast of the debate or debates;

2. The specific television and radio stations and other media outlets which have committed to air, broadcast, or simulcast the debate or debates, and the specific New Jersey counties and number of households reached by those specific television and radio stations and other media outlets;

3. The specific television and radio stations and other media outlets which have committed to rebroadcast the debate or debates, and the specific dates and times of such rebroadcast;

4. Plans for coverage of the debate or debates by media outlets broadcasting in a foreign language;

5. The location of the debate or debates, and a description of the building or facility including legal seating capacity and accessibility for persons with physical disabilities;

6. A specific description of the format of the debate or debates, including plans for interactive exchanges among the candidates and opportunities for the public to direct questions to the candidates;

7. Specific plans, including plans for newspaper advertisements, to disseminate information to the public concerning the date, time, location, and media outlets airing or broadcasting the debate or debates;

8. Plans for accessibility of the debate or debates to hearing-impaired persons in the broadcast audience;

9. Arrangements for a debate moderator or moderators; and

10. Sources of financial support to the organization to underwrite costs associated with the debate or debates.

(d) If the applicant anticipates the presence of an audience at the debate or debates, the written application shall in addition to the information required under (c) above, set forth the following information:

1. The number of persons expected in the audience;

2. The method to be used to select the audience, including information on distribution of tickets;

3. Plans for interaction between the candidates and the audience; and

4. Plans for accessibility of the debate to hearing-impaired members of the audience.

(e) If the applicant anticipates imposing an admission fee or ticket price for attendance at the debate, the application shall state the amount of the admission fee or ticket price and include an explanation of why such an admission fee or ticket price is being charged.

N.J. Admin. Code § 19:25-16.39

Emergency New Rule, R.1989 d.181, effective 3/6/1989 (expires May 5, 1989).
See: 21 N.J.R. 788(b).
Adopted concurrent proposal, R.1989 d.263, effective 4/24/1989.
See: 21 N.J.R. 788(b), 21 N.J.R. 1380(a).
Provisions of emergency new rule R.1989 d.181 readopted without change.
Amended by R.1992 d.458, effective 11/16/1992.
See: 24 N.J.R. 3026(a), 24 N.J.R. 4274(a).
Revised (a)2; added (b); redesignated existing (b) as (c).
Administrative Correction to (a).
See: 25 N.J.R. 711(d).
Amended by R.1996 d.389, effective 8/19/1996.
See: 28 N.J.R. 2524(a), 28 N.J.R. 3971(a).
Amended (c).
Amended by R.1999 d.300, effective 9/7/1999.
See: 31 N.J.R. 1446(a), 31 N.J.R. 2627(b).
Rewrote (c); and added (d) and (e).
Amended by R.2000 d.322, effective 8/7/2000.
See: 32 N.J.R. 1291(a), 32 N.J.R. 2930(a).
In (d), made an internal reference change.
Amended by R.2004 d.400, effective 10/18/2004.
See: 36 N.J.R. 2985(a), 36 N.J.R. 4837(a).
In (c), rewrote 2 through 10.
Amended by R.2012 d.172, effective 10/15/2012.
See: 44 N.J.R. 1593(a), 44 N.J.R. 2380(a).
Deleted (a)3; and in (b), deleted ", without regard to whether that association or any of its members shall previously have sponsored any debate among candidate for Statewide office" from the end.