Philly TV: Fox Cites Endorsements In License Defense

Fox Corp. is pointing to support from a handful of legislators as it pushes back on an effort to challenge its qualifications to hold TV station licenses, according to NextTV.

In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission, Fox sent four letters from U.S. Reps. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), as well as Camden, New Jersey, Mayor Victor G. Carstarphen and Pennsylvania State Rep. Anthony Bellmon (D-Philadelphia), all praising the public service of WTXF, Fox's owned-and-operated Philadelphia affiliate whose license has been challenged.

The Media and Democracy Project (MAD), citing Fox's settlement of the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit over election misinformation on cable network Fox News Channel, last month challenged the renewal of WTXXF Philadelphia, and by extension Fox's character qualifications for holding any TV station licenses at all.

In filing the letters this week, Fox said they clearly showed that the station has and continues to operate in the public interest.

In a joint letter, the bipartisan duo of Reps. Boyle and Fitzpatrick said the station provided “fact-based journalism and local programming that keeps our constituents safe and informed.”

Camden Mayor Carstarphen said the station's news department has been “professional, honest and fair in their reporting,” and that the station’s news team has been a “tremendous partner in telling the city’s story.”

Fox's lawyers told the FCC that those endorsements from elected leaders, all of whom reside in WTXF's coverage area, are in “stark contrast” to the distorted picture pained by the Media and Democracy Project in their challenge to the license renewal and request that the renewal be designated for hearing.

The FCC is authorized to review a license applicant's “citizenship, character, technical, financial and other qualifications.”