Efforts to sway the FCC to hold a hearing that would place the license renewal of FOX Television Stations‘ WTXF-29 in Philadelphia in question, based on the argument that the airing of FOX News content following the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election deemed false warrants a denial, have reached a new zenith.
The Preston Padden-backed non-profit advocacy group seeking the nix of the license renewal on Thursday submitted a 600+-page document featuring the signatures of some 25,532 individuals who side with the Media and Democracy Project, and ask for the matter to be considered by the FCC’s Administrative Law Judge.
The Media and Democracy’s hefty 611-page filing courtesy of longtime Washington, D.C. communications attorney Arthur Belendiuk is the result of submissions collected at FoxPetition.com, and focuses on the reasoning that, because Fox News, FOX Corp., and its owners — the Murdoch family — “lied to us about the 2020 election — all to protect profits,” all involved demonstrated “they lack the character the FCC expects of those broadcasting over the public airwaves.”
In the view of MAD’s spokesperson, “Rarely does an FCC proceeding attract this much public attention and we’re proud to submit this to mark the one-year anniversary of the original petition.
Indeed, it was on July 3, 2023 that MAD filed its Petition to Deny the license renewal of WTXF-29. Subsequent coverage saw Padden explain to RBR+TVBR that the license renewal period for this station came earlier than other FOX-owned broadcast properties, hence the reason why Philadelphia and not other markets was singled out by MAD.
Over the past 12 months, MAD has had its share of supporters. That said, so has WTXF-29, with letters of support for the station’s license renewal coming from both Democrats and Republicans.
With no movement from the FCC in nine months on the matter, MAD’s filing brings a renewed push to get the Commission to act. And, given the extraordinary events that have transpired in 2024 regarding judicial branch rulings that will impact the FCC in myriad forthcoming ways, MAD and Padden may very well be in a stronger position to convince both Media Bureau Chief Holly Saurer and Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to move forward with a hearing.
Alternatively, should former President Trump be reelected, any chance of a hearing would be all but impossible, especially under a Carr Commission.
Each of the individuals signing the MAD petition concur with the following statement:
Being granted an FCC broadcast license is a privilege, not a right. FOX and the Murdochs have betrayed the public trust by spreading dangerous misinformation about the 2020
election for the sole purpose of improving ratings, as documented in the Dominion lawsuit.
This deliberate manipulation of news to boost ratings undermines the very foundation of acting in the public interest, a requirement for broadcast license owners. The behavior of Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, Fox executives and FOX, is egregious and disqualifies them from being holders of a broadcast TV license.
The MAD spokesperson confirmed to RBR+TVBR that the submission list was de-duped and verified prior to its placement in the FCC’s ECFS.
Meanwhile, Padden points to a July 24 article in The New York Times that states Rupert Murdoch has moved to change his family’s irrevocable trust “to preserve his media business.” This, the newspaper says, has resulted in a “secret battle” against three of his children. Lachlan Murdoch would remain in charge of FOX’s television assets.
For Padden, this presents a situation where the FCC will need to approve any change in control of the trust and the transfer of the FOX TV broadcast station licenses upon Rupert’s passing. Padden says, “Fox is the beneficiary of multiple waivers of FCC restrictions that go away upon a transfer of control. I secured some of those waivers for Rupert including the waiver to own WNYW-TV [in New York] and the New York Post.”
While there is no longer a prohibition on owning a TV station and a newspaper in the same market, Padden explains, “Any change of control of Fox from Rupert Murdoch either to Lachlan or to the four siblings likely would trigger the need for FCC action on our Petition.”
