Padden: Simington 'Mistaken' on Fox Station

The Media and Democracy Project petition against Fox’s station WTXF-TV Philadelphia isn’t “remotely similar to the occasional complaints by politicians about the political slant of a particular network or channel,” said former telecom lobbyist Preston Padden in an informal filing Tuesday responding to a recent statement from FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington (see 2409130062). “There is nothing political about the MAD Petition,” Padden said, adding that Simington was "mistaken" when he implied MAD's challenge of WTXF-TV’s license renewal wasn’t in line with the First Amendment. The petition “is not about speech,” Padden said. “It is about Fox’s conduct -- its business decision -- to knowingly and repeatedly choose to present false news, rather than the truth, in order to protect its profits.” Simington and Fox didn’t comment.