Could News Corp lose right to broadcast in the US

[Sid Schweiger]

"The reactions from almost everyone up here seem to completely overlook one key factor, namely ratings.  Whether you like Fox News or not, when I last looked, viewers were still endorsing them over their competitors by tuning in. As long as they don't pull the same type of dirty tricks that happened in the UK, the law of supply and demand should still hold in US broadcasting, no?"

No.

Ratings do not determine who is qualified to hold a broadcast license, and one of the statutory qualifications is "character."  Based on past history, the FCC will convene a revocation hearing for a licensee convicted of one or more crimes.

That said:  Murdoch hasn't been convicted of a thing...yet.  However, as a US citizen and the principal stockholder of the News Corporation, his licenses are at risk should he or another officer of the licensee were to be convicted of a crime.  His US networks (Fox News, Fox Business, Fox TV, etc.) are not subject to government licensing.

Sid Schweiger
IT Manager, Entercom New England
20 Guest St / 3d Floor
Brighton MA  02135-2040