Sinclair, ABC Extend Affiliate Talks Once Again

Sinclair Broadcast Group and ABC have extended negotiations over
affiliate agreements once again, pushing the would-be deadline back to March
31.

The two parties continue to negotiate the terms of the agreements, which
were set to expire Dec. 31, 2009, and have been extended several times.

ABC has been pushing its affiliates to share programming costs as part
of their agreements with the networks. Some station groups have chafed, and
some deem it reasonable.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.