Free TV time three weeks before an election?

Everyone claims it is not political but can a politician open their mouth so close to an election and it not be just that?

Viacom networks MTV, BET and CMT are giving an hour of free air time to President Obama less than three weeks before the midterm elections.
The so-called “A Conversation with President Obama” will be live and commercial-free on six Viacom networks at 4 p.m. on Thursday. The networks will not give equal time to a Republican before the election, according to a spokeswoman.
MTV denies that the Obama hour of TV is political, despite the timing, weeks before the midterm elections.