Timeline of MAD's Petition to the FCC to Deny Fox Local TV Broadcast Licenses
A lot has happened in our effort to have the FCC investigate FOX Corp’s (and the Murdoch’s) fitness to own TV broadcast licenses. Here are links to all formal filings with the FCC, plus highlights of the extensive press coverage. Key events are highlighted in bold.
2023
April 3 | FOX ACTION FOX files with FCC for WTXF license renewal
July 3 | MAD ACTION MAD files FCC Petition to Deny WTXF license
July 3 | SUPPORT Former FOX Exec Preston Padden files with FCC
July 6 | PRESS Daily Beast by Dan Ladden Hall
July 7 | PRESS Philadelphia Inquirer by Nick Vadala
July 10 | PRESS Toledo Blade by Editorial Board
July 11 | PRESS TechDirt by Karl Bode
July 13 | SUPPORT Media Action Center files with FCC
July 18 | MAD ACTION MAD asks FCC to open process to comments
July 19 | FOX ACTION FOX filed with FCC opposing opening process
July 31 | SUPPORT Media Execs Ervin S. Duggan and William Kristol file with FCC
August 2 | FOX ACTION FOX files with FCC opposing MAD petition
August 9 | PRESS NPR by David Folkenflik
August 9 | PRESS Washington Post by Paul Farhi
August 16 | PRESS Preston Padden NPR interview
August 20 | SUPPORT Former GOP FCC Chairman Al Sikes files with FCC
August 22 | MAD ACTION MAD FCC filing debunks FOX’s August 2nd reply
August 22 | SUPPORT Media execs Ervin S. Duggan and William Kristol’s FCC filing rebuts arguments in FOX’s August 2nd reply
August 22 | SUPPORT Founding President of FOX Broadcasting Jamie Kellner files to urge FCC hearing
August 23 | FCC ACTION FCC grants MAD request, opens process to comments
August 24 | PRESS The Desk by Matthew Keys
August 24 | PRESS Ars Technica by John Brodkin
August 25 | PRESS Cord Cutters News by Shelby Brown
August 28 | PRESS American Progress Op-Ed by Robert Kuttner
August 29 | FOX ACTION FOX files response to MAD claims of rule violations
August 29 | PRESS Harold Feld of Public Knowledge writes extensive analysis
August 30 | PRESS TechDirt by Karl Bode
August 31 | PRESS Project Censored writes in support by Steve Macek and Mitchell Szczepanczyk
September 7 | FCC ACTION Senate confirms Anna Gomez as FCC Commissioner
September 7 | FOX ACTION FOX files notice of meeting with FCC
September 7 | PRESS The Progressive Analysis by Glenn Daigon
September 11 | MAD ACTION MAD files with FCC further evidence WTXF violated rules
September 11 | PRESS Steve Macek Project Censored Show interview
September 13-15 | SUPPORT Pension funds and others sue FOX, cite MAD petition in filings
October 9 | SUPPORT Media execs Ervin S. Duggan and William Kristol cite lawsuits in filing urging FCC to act
October 9 | MAD ACTION MAD asks FCC to compel FOX to produce documents related to Dominion and other lawsuits
October 16 | FOX ACTION FOX files with FCC opposing disclosure of documents
October 17 | MAD ACTION MAD meets with FCC Media Bureau, presents case
October 19 | PRESS Axios by Maria Curi
October 20 | MAD ACTION MAD files with FCC, refutes FOX’s October 16 filing
October 30 | FOX ACTION FOX files with FCC, repeats arguments, calls for dismissal
November 1 | Summary of comments submitted to the FCC thus far
November 3 | PRESS Preston Padden Radio and TV Business interview
November 16 | PRESS Financial Times by Anna Nicolaou
November 28 | MAD ACTION MAD's Allies File an FCC Comment Calling Out Fox Misrepresentations
December 28 | PRESS The New Republic by Nina Burleigh
2024
January 22 | SUPPORT Floyd Abrams, eminent free speech lawyer, files in support of MAD Petition
January 23 | PRESS Policyband by Ted Hearn
January 25 | MAD ACTION Preston Padden files comment citing Smartmatic ruling
January 30 | FOX ACTION FOX replies to Padden comment