Dr. Mehmet Oz will soon be unavailable to viewers in several large cities for at least the next 11 months, due to his decision to run for senate.
“The Dr. Oz Show” will be canceled in all Pennsylvania markets, including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the capital of Harrisburg.
Neighboring cities in Pennsylvania’s immediate vicinity are also canceling his show, including New York City’s #1 TV market and at least one midwestern city.
According to FOX, it’s all about the FCC’s equal time guideline. Although it’s unclear how strictly this is enforced these days, executives are said to be anxious about giving each candidate equal airtime.
The problem is that the “The Dr. Oz Show” airs every day for an hour, and there are currently seven Republican candidates and seven Democratic candidates running for Senator Pat Toomey’s seat.
In the rest of the country, Oz’s show will continue to air, but with guest hosts, while he is on the campaign trail. There’s no indication yet on who will be sitting in.
According to TMZ, Dr. Oz has shows scheduled through December.
