ABC and affils still at odds over 'MNF'
Stations want exclusive rights of ABC product
Fili-Krushel said discussion of affils reimbursing ABC for a portion of the cost of the pigskin package has been delayed until after the two sides tackle other, even more contentious issues.
"We have to agree first philosophically on the issues of repurposing and exclusivity, and once we do that we will talk about an NFL deal," Fili-Krushel told reporters in her first appearance before a Television Critics Assn. press tour since taking over the top spot at the web last summer.
ABC and its affils are at odds over the web's unwillingness to promise that it won't, at some future date, repackage Alphabet web product to re-air on cable or digital television platforms. Affils want assurances of exclusive rights to ABC product in their respective markets.
Because of the dispute, ABC has been unable to convince affils to contribute to the expense of "MNF," most likely by giving back a few 30-second advertising avails to the network. Since any future compensation deal would likely involve ad inventory and not cash, Fili-Krushel said ABC will not likely be able to request retroactive contributions for the just-completed football season.
Fili-Krushel made it clear, however, that ABC is closely looking at new business models, including repackaging ABC product for new digital platforms. A second or third ABC via a digital multiplex, while still five or ten years away, is a real possibility, Fili-Krushel said.
Fili-Krushel began her presentation by boasting of ABC's strengths in daytime and kidvid, arguing primetime alone does not a network make. She also brought in Alan Wurtzel, the web's senior VP of media development and research, to restate the web's controversial claim that it, not CBS, is America's most-watched net, based on cumulative viewers.
Wurtzel denied ABC was trying to confuse viewers with its most-watched boast, saying the statistic is simply meant to highlight the web's broad reach.
"We have more programs for different people," he said. "If CBS wants to be a broad national network, they're not as good as we are right now because we appeal to more people than CBS does."
Wurtzel and Fili-Krushel talked up ABC's improved performance on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday nights this season, but conceded the web still has significant problems on Thursday and Saturday nights.
