ABC Seeks Half Of Affiliates' Retrans Take

Even as broadcast television networks are bitterly fighting over retransmission consent fees from cable operators — witness the recent flare-up between Time Warner Cable and News Corp. — they also are gearing up to grab a share of the fees that their station affiliates are collecting. And the most aggressive network on that front appears to be ABC, which is drawing the ire of its affiliates. ABC has made getting a piece of its affiliates' retransmission consent revenue — or extracting comparable programming fees — a major deal point in affiliation renewals. And it is taking a hard line, demanding that affiliates either fork over 50% of their retransmission consent payments or pay a flat license fee, whichever is greater, according to affiliates.