• Broadcasting & Cable, Monday, November 9, 2009 10:13 PM

News Corp. and CBS are staking their claim to additional retransmission dollars. Comments on earnings calls for the companies last week indicated that the tone of the debate has grown much more serious. In addition to pushing for cash retrans fees for their O&Os, the big media companies also are now looking to extract a portion of retrans cash garnered by their affiliates.

A take of affiliates' retrans cash is a shift the station groups will no doubt resist. Look for sparks when Nexstar Broadcasting reports on Nov. 11. Nexstar CEO Perry Sook has been outspoken in disagreeing with the rationale that networks should share in affiliates' hard-fought retrans cash. Nexstar has affiliations with each of the Big Four broadcast networks.

During Belo's earnings call last week, CEO Dunia Shive said Disney's ABC is likewise going after a cut of affiliates' retrans cash in their negotiations. Analysts are expected to grill Walt Disney Co. over this and other matters during its third-quarter call on Nov. 12.

Read the whole story at Broadcasting & Cable »