DALLAS
Billionaire investor Thomas O. Hicks has been operating KXTX-TV Dallas under an agreement that programming will be broadcast only in English. The stipulation was required by station owner Christian Broadcasting Network Inc., run by televangelist Pat Robertson.
The agreement came to light in FCC contracts that outline how Hicks is buying KXTX-TV from CBN for $1 million, only to turn it over immediately to Pappas Telecasting Cos. for $85.55 million (Changing Hands, July 24). Pappas must operate the station in English at least until the end of the year, but doesn't have to after May 31, 2001, according to a source familiar with the sale.
Besides broadcasting in English, Hicks was required to give airtime from 8 to 9 a.m. each weekday to programming from CBN, which produces Robertson's The 700 Club.
Robertson founded the Christian Coalition, which endorses the position that English should be the official language of the U.S.
Hicks has been operating KXTX-TV under an LMA since 1994. Hicks had hoped to build a sports network around his ownership of baseball's Texas Rangers and hockey's Dallas Stars.
