[opendtv] News: ABC Floats TV Everywhere Plan To Affiliates
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: OpenDTV Mail List <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2013 07:53:41 -0500
http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/65746/abc-floats-tv-everywhere-plan-to-affiliates?utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=ABC+Floats+TV+Everywhere+Plan+To+Affiliates&utm_campaign=ABC+Floats+TV+Everywhere+Plan+To+Affiliates
ABC Floats TV Everywhere Plan To Affiliates
The networks tells its affils that it wants to work with them in
developing an ABC TV everywhere service that allows cable and
satellite subscribers to watch on mobile devices. Each affiliate
would be able to offer a locally branded service within its market.
ABC would charge affiliates for the programming rights, but they
could recoup those fees and perhaps make a profit by charging
operators as they do for retransmission consent.
By Harry A. Jessell
TVNewsCheck, February 26, 2013 9:11 AM EST
For the past two years, Disney has been rolling out its TV everywhere
services that allow paying cable subscribers to watch ESPN and its
other popular cable networks on their smartphones and tablets.
At no extra charge, subscribers merely have to download an app to
their mobile device. Once authenticated, they can watch live linear
streams or individual VOD programs. Subscribers may also watch online
- on desktops and laptops - without the app.
Disney started with Watch ESPN in 2011 and added Watch DisneyChannel,
Watch DisneyXD and Watch DisneyJunior last year. Comcast, Cox,
Charter, Cablevision and AT&T are among those offering the service.
Now, in move that could take the long partnership between ABC and its
affiliates deep into the digital age, the Disney/ABC Television Group
wants to expand the Watch initiative to include the ABC affiliates.
During a closed-circuit webcast with affiliates from the set of Jimmy
Kimmel Live! on Jan. 25, Disney/ABC President Anne Sweeney and other
Disney executives invited affiliates to work out a deal within the
next year or so, according to affiliates and their representatives.
As the executives explained, the affiliates would pay ABC for the
rights to stream the ABC programming using the ABC video player, but
they could recoup those fees and perhaps make a profit by charging
cable operators that wanted to make the service available to their
subscribers.
The rights negotiations would take place at the same time the
affiliates negotiate with the network for renewal and reverse comp
(programming fees) and with the cable operators for retransmission
consent fees.
The affiliates would be restricted to their over-the-air markets by
the ABC technology, but they would be able to put their own brand on
their local services - say, Watch WTAE or Watch KMGH.
The ABC executives assured the affiliates that the network
programming rights would include sports, including the NBA, NASCAR
and NCAA football.
The ABC technology can track what each of the Watch viewers is
watching, giving the networks and its affiliates the ability to sell
the mobile and online audiences to advertisers.
"The affiliate partnership between local broadcasters and ABC has
created powerful media brands in markets across the country," said
Dave Boylan, GM of Post-Newsweek Stations' WPLG and chairman of the
ABC affiliate board, in an email. He participated in the Jan. 25
webcast, questioning a group of executives that also included
affiliate relations head John Rouse and digital guru Albert Cheng.
"While there is much for the affiliates and the network to discuss
about the business model of Watch ABC, it is encouraging that the
goal is for this affiliate partnership to continue on mobile screens."
Other affiliates had a positive reaction to the presentation. "We
eagerly look forward to receiving a formal proposal from ABC on the
best way to relay ABC programming over our platforms," said Jerry
Fritz of Allbritton Communications.
ABC executives declined to discuss the Jan. 25 presentation, which
covered other topics, or to answer questions about the Watch
initiative.
To simulcast their entire program day, affiliates would still have to
secure the streaming rights to whatever syndicated programming they
carry. Some syndicators, notably Warner Bros., have shown a
willingness to do that.
Affiliates already have the rights to local newscasts, although there
may be elements within the newscasts, notably commercials and sports
highlights, that also raise some rights and talent contract issues
that affiliates will have to work through.
According to the affiliates, the ABC executives also indicated that
they considered rights for mobile DTV - an alternative technology for
reaching mobile devices - as separate. In other words, affiliates
would have to pay an additional license fee for them.
One affiliate said the ABC executives made it clear that ABC itself
had no interest in pursuing mobile DTV, citing the limits of the
technology and the inability to easily measure the audience.
Fox and NBC have taken a leadership role in trying to bring mobile
DTV to market, while ABC and CBS have sat on the sidelines.
The Watch initiative continues ABC's practice of working with
affiliates that began several years ago when it first began offering
episodes of primetime shows online - on ABC.com.
Participating affiliates have the ability to profit from the service.
They can embed links to the ABC players on their websites and run
some local ads where they can be seen by local viewers of programming.
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