ABC's Anne Sweeney and Alex Wallau: Dealing with Affiliates

paidcontent has an interview with Anne Sweeney, Co-Chair Disney Media Networks/President Disney-ABC Television Group.

From the interview:

"Do you think you’re going to end up with multiple business models?

Sweeney: “I can tell you that we’re open to it and we’re intent on finding that out but we’re putting the consumer first and the idea right next to them and then we’re figuring it out — because I really don’t want to get in a world where we’re retrofitting new technologies into old business models.”

Pressure from affiliates?

Sweeney: “Phase two of the test — we can’t do everything at once. We really have to stage this in such a way that we are learning as much as we can about how our consumers are using this and how we work with affiliates and advertisers. The first step was the advertisers; the second step is the affiliates and we’re going to go on from there.”

From an AP article:

"ABC also said it will continue discussions with its local affiliate stations on ways to share revenue from online ad sales. Affiliates, as well as unions representing actors and writers, have sought a bigger cut of online revenue.

"Our ultimate goal is to find an effective online model, one in which our affiliates can take part," Alex Wallau, president, operations and administration, ABC Television Network, said in a statement."