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The owners and managers of CBS-affiliated stations meet April 14 to discuss CBS’ over-the-top All Access product, and the affiliates board convened the day before to go over the plan’s finer points, including its revenue sharing model. Michael Fiorile, CBS affiliates board chairman, anticipates strong buy-in from the stations.
“I think people will be pretty pleased with it,” he said.
Last month, the affiliates board negotiated a deal with CBS related to All Access on behalf of station partners. Fiorile called it a "groundbreaking arrangement." More recently, CBS announced that it had reached carriage agreements with several affiliate groups for that $5.99 monthly live streaming service, including Gray Television, Nexstar, Raycom and the Dispatch group that Fiorile oversees. All Access dominated the board meeting, said Fiorile, who confirmed that the revenue sharing framework that’s been ironed out sees the stations take a larger share as the subscriber base increases. Participating station groups have to invest in the Syncbak platform that drives All Acccess, he noted.
Network reps at the Encore meeting included Elizabeth Tumulty, president of affiliate relations, and Rebekah Dopp, senior VP, advanced services.
TV Everywhere, in its various forms, has been the dominant story at the Vegas affiliate board meetings. The All Access venture gives both network and affiliates a common goal, posited Fiorile. “All in all, the mood was good,” he said. “Being partners on the new venture helps the relationship.”
