Gannett floats TV news net: viewers as well as MSOs could balk at entry into crowded arena. (Top of the Week).

Broadcasting & Cable, December, 2002 by Trigiboff, Dan

Already in the television business with 22 local stations, Gannett is angling to become the newest player in cable news. But its designs to launch the proposed cable network, dubbed America Today, using retransmission consent, may draw the ire of cable operators.

America Today would be built around local newscasts from Gannett's large station group, but also contain some national content.

With broadcast and cable news services already abounding on cable, Gannett is leaning on a powerful weapon to gain carriage: retransmission consent. Cable and satellite operators typically give payment or another service in exchange for the right to transmit a local broadcast signal.

Mention retransmission and MSOs get very edgy. They grumble about...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Premium Content Partnership | HighBeam Research provides an in-depth online archive library of reference works.