Orange County’s TV war is set to come to a head tonight.
Coast Community College District plans to vote Wednesday night on whether to appeal a court decision invalidating the sale of Huntington Beach-based KOCE-TV to the public station’s foundation.
The meeting could see some fireworks.
Dallas-based religious broadcaster Daystar Television Network has renewed its $25 million bid to buy the station and is pressing to have KOCE’s broadcast license transferred to it.
KOCE officials and backers of the station’s foundation are mounting a campaign to keep the Public Broadcasting Service affiliate.
The station itself is airing a commercial in which Emulex Corp.’s Paul Folino, Conexant Systems Inc.’s Dwight Decker and other foundation backers urge viewers to support their efforts.
The issue dates back to 2002, when the college district decided to put KOCE up for sale rather than keep subsidizing the station.
In 2003, the district sold the station to the foundation in a deal the courts valued at $19.5 million to $23.5 million.
A state appeals court ruled last month for the second time that the sale was invalid because the station didn’t go to the highest bidder.
The court ordered the district to keep the station or put it up for bid again. The ruling only was a partial win for Daystar: The court ruled against the religious broadcaster’s bid to be awarded the station.
The district plans to appeal, Milford Dahl, the college operator’s lawyer, told the Associated Press on Wednesday.
The renewed Daystar offer adds another consideration for the district. Daystar has proposed settling a lawsuit it filed against the district over the sale.
The religious broadcaster is asking for the district and the foundation to transfer the station’s broadcast line to it under the settlement.
KOCE officials contend only the FCC can transfer the license.
