NBC Plans 24-Hour News Service for Network’s Affiliates
NBC, which once tried to buy 51% of Cable News Network, is planning its own 24-hour news service for its affiliates, NBC News President Michael Gartner said today.
The affiliates could use the service as part of their own broadcasts or when NBC is not broadcasting. The plan likely will be presented to affiliates at their annual convention June 3-6 in Washington, D.C.
“It’s too early to tell,” CNN spokesman Steve Haworth said when asked about NBC’s plan, which could prove to be a rival for CNN, at least with NBC affiliates that also take CNN service.
“We still are studying it,” Haworth said. “But we’ve developed very strong relationships with 220 broadcast affiliates over the 10 years that we’ve been in business. We’re certainly confident that those relationships will persist.”
According to Atlanta-based CNN, whose 24-hour news service began in June 1980, 51 of NBC’s 208 affiliates also are CNN affiliates.
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