Dr. Oz.Photo: Harpo Inc./AP
Dr. Mehmet Ozmade headlines on Tuesday with theofficial announcementthat he islaunching a Republican campaign for Senatein Pennsylvania. But his announcement also raised questions, such as what will happen to theThe Dr. Oz Show, the daily hourlong talk show that helped make him famous?
The Federal Communications Commission dictates that candidates running for office receive equal airtime. But, as an FCC spokesperson explained to PEOPLE, that rule only applies to those who are determined to be a “legally qualified candidate.”
“Until such time that Dr. Oz, or another candidate for office in Pennsylvania, qualifies as a ‘legally qualified candidate’ for FCC purposes, the benefits of our political programming rules do not apply to him and the obligations do not apply to stations,” Katie Gorscak, who works for the FCC Office of Media Relations, told PEOPLE. “We look to Pennsylvania law to determine whether a candidate is qualified to hold the office for which he or she is a candidate or be placed on the ballot.”
The Dr. Oz Show / Season 11.Sony Pictures Television
Elsewhere in the country, the show will for now air as usual, though Oz, 61, likely won’t be able to film new episodes while he’s busy campaigning — which raises questions about the show’s future, should he secure the Republican nomination or go on to win the general election.
A spokesperson for the show did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment butThe Los Angeles Timesreports that Sony Pictures Television, the company that syndicates Oz’s show, has a longer-term plan in place.
In his first campaign ad, which launched Tuesday, Oz referenced the show, saying he had started it to “advocate” for viewers to take control of their health.
The Dr. Oz Showlaunched in 2009, after Oz made a name for himself as a frequent guest onTheOprah WinfreyShow.
While it helped propel the cardiothoracic surgeon’s television career, the show also proved controversial at times, with Oz frequently being accused ofpromoting unproven medical treatmentsand making false or misleading scientific claims.
In 2015, a group of doctorssent a letterto New York’s Columbia University — where Oz has served as professor and vice-chair of the department of surgery — demanding his dismissal for promoting what they called “quack treatments.”
More recently, Oz apologized last year after saying thatreopening schools amid the COVID-19 pandemicwas “an appetizing opportunity,” as it “may only cost us 2-3% in terms of total mortality.”
Oz and his crewreturned to the studioin September 2020 to film season 12 ofThe Dr. Oz Show,and filmed several months of the show last year from home, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The website for the show currently redirects to Oz’s campaign website.
source: people.com
