NBC filed petition with the FCC to declare the Fox TV
network "foreign owned and in violation of federal rules."  In
turn, Fox vowed to fight what it called "improper" regulatory
challenges.  NBC's complaint is that while News Corp. Chair
Rupert Murdoch -- a naturalized U.S. citizen -- has the majority
of Fox's voting shares, the company is really controlled by
Murdoch's Australian-based News Corp. (BOSTON HERALD, 12/1).  NBC
General Counsel Richard Cotton: "We've decided to file this
petition to say to the FCC that it is time Fox competed under the
same rules and that the same restrictions apply to all
competitors.  We think that's fair, we think that's the way that
all competitiors and all broadcasters ought to be treated."  USA
TODAY's David Lieberman on NBC's legal resources: "They can push
this case farther than anyone else has so far" ("Market Wrap,"
CNBC, 11/30).  CNN's Kelly Arena reported, "Analysts don't expect
any changes in the [FCC's] 60-year-old ownership rule, and say
that what's really got the other networks going is that Murdoch
has maneuvered FCC law to his advantage"  ("Moneyline," 11/30).
In Boston, Frederic Biddle calls NBC's move "the most dramatic
acknowledgement yet by one of the big three broadcast networks of
the threat posed" by Murdoch and Fox (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/1).
     OTHER MOTIVES:  "If the FCC does nothing, NBC could contend
that it may want to open itself to foreign investors."  GE has
been discussing a deal for the network with Sony Corp. (Kevin
Goldman, WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/1).  "The foreign ownership law
stands as one of the few remaining restrictions on communications
ownership in an increasingly global communications age."  FCC
Commissioner James Quello:  "One of our overriding principles has
been that having a fourth [TV] network is in the public interest.
We are trying to promote a multichannel, multifaceted world.  In
order to punish Fox, I think you bear a heavy burden of proof"
(Jube Shriver, L.A. TIMES, 12/1).  One Fox exec also noted:  "It
screws up our station buying" (VARIETY, 12/1).

     As expected, Viacom announced its purchase of Boston
independent station WSBK-TV from New World Communications for
$100M.  The station will serve as the Boston home to Viacom's
planned fifth network, United Paramount.  Noting that United
Paramount's initial plans are only to carry shows on two nights -
- Viacom officials don't foresee any schedule conflicts with
WSBK's sports programming.  The station is the broadcast home to
the Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics.  In fact, officials said that at
the outset games would have "precedence" over the new net's own
programming.  However, a key decision looming for Viacom is
whether to renew WSBK's pact with the Red Sox, who are scheduled
to receive $15M for '95.  The team is in the final year of its 5-
year, $70M contract with the station (Biddle & Craig, BOSTON
GLOBE, 12/1)....The Grey Cup drew a record TV audience of 3.8M on
CBC, but it did not fair well in the U.S. where it was carried
live on ESPN2 and repeated the next night on ESPN.  Live on
ESPN2, the game drew a .9 rating and a .6 on ESPN tape-delay.  In
both cases, the Grey Cup was competing against the NFL (Toronto
GLOBE & MAIL, 12/1)....DirecTV President Eddy Hartenstein, whose
company kicks off its $150 package for 400 regular season NBA
games tonight:  "We fully expect to do deals with the NHL and
Major League Baseball.  If the hockey lockout ended tomorrow, we
have the channel capacity and technical capability ready to go"
(Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY, 12/1).  The NBA will also allow
Liberty Satellite Sports to expand distribution of all its
regional sports network NBA games in the large-dish market for
both Satellite Sports Network and SportsChannel packages. ... Due
to the limited availability of transponder space on C-band
satellites, Liberty's KBL Sports Network will move to a KU-band
satellite (Liberty Satellite Sports)....Disney Chair Michael
Eisner:  "The likelihood of us buying a network is way behind
that of Ted Turner. ...  The networks that are talked about often
as being for sale are rather expensive.  You'd have to be having
a good day to make that kind of investment.  So, I don't think
they are going to sell quite as quickly as many analysts think"
("Moneyline," CNN, 11/30).