In California, a state appeals court has overturned a community college's sale of a public television station to a local foundation, ruling it illegally accepted a lower bid to make sure the station didn't go to a televangelist group, which was the highest bidder. The Coast Community College District must hold a new sale of KOCE, or, "if the district's trustees find the prospect of televangelists eventually acquiring KOCE to be too distasteful, no sale at all," said the opinion.
The winning bidder, KOCE-TV Foundation, had offered $32 million for the station, based in Golden West College in Huntington Beach, with the balance to be paid over 30 years.
Texas-based Daystar Television Network offered $25.1 million, but in cash. One day after the deadline for bids, it raised its offer to $40 million.
The appeals court said the sale to the foundation instead of Daystar "can only be described as the rankest sort of favoritism."
