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ABC Media Networks Co-Chair Addresses the Digital Age

Wednesday, April 26th, 2006 at 2:30 PM - by Staff

ABC Media Networks co-chair Anne Sweeney, delivering a keynote address during this week's National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) trade show in Las Vegas, told representatives from the network's affiliates: "We're convinced iTunes does not cannibalize our audience, or the lucrative streams of revenue generated through traditional distribution channels, any more than DVDs of our series have in the past. In fact, we see it as supportive of those channels."

According to a Hollywood Reporter article, she said that the iTunes Music Store and the free, ad-supported downloads from ABC.com are an important part of battling piracy, noting that a show such as Lost sees 25,000 illegal downloads within 10 hours of airing.

Some affiliates, however, were upset about the iTMS deal because of the lack of advertising, which they felt could hurt them if viewers started to prefer the ad-free versions of ABC's shows. Ms. Sweeney said that the iTMS helps viewers stay current with series, citing research showing that the average viewer only saw six episodes of Lost and Desperate Housewives last season.

Thanks to Macworld UK for the link.

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