@ NAB: One Affiliate’s Response To Sweeney

Anne Sweeney’s message to affiliates at NAB Tuesday didn’t fall on deaf ears; an indirect response from Terry Mackin, SVP-Hearst-Argyle Television, during the following panel was proof enough of that. H-A is the largest single owner of ABC affiliates so the stake is big, as he explained. Did he hear what he wanted? Here’s what he had to say: “.. I listen intently when Anne speaks. It’s easy to focus on all the things that we can’t do together but I would love to see ABC … Sometimes the press is only looking for a hand grenade from the affiliates back to the networks (“You feed us very well,” B&C’s John Higgins replied.) … I think the market is ripe for development and I use ABC News Now as a perfect example. We could use multicasting — news is something we that we know — we could collaborate with ABC. .. It’s hard for me to understand why that doesn’t look like a clear opportunity for ABC. But the ABC affiliates want to be partners. They want to build a company, they’ll contribute cash, they’ll contribute ideas. But if Anne is going to read the consumer, I think the consumer would say the ABC news product and all of the ABC news stations around the country could develop a compelling product 24-7 using multi-cast technolology. … That’s one example. … I know that ABC, if they want to, can extend a hand to their affiliates. The results will speak for themselves. If they’re going to do it, act now. … You better do it quickly because the market is moving and every business opportunity may not make us perfect partners. While we’re together we ought to focus on what we can do … ”
Mackin is chairman of the NBC Affiliates Board.
The NAB coverage is sponsored by Javien.

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