CBS Hopes to Replace 8 Affiliates Soon : Television: ‘We’re going to spend whatever it takes,’ the network says.

CBS Inc., which last week lost eight key affiliates to Fox in the largest defection of stations to a rival network in history, said it hopes to have most of those replaced within the next three weeks.

But in a Century City news conference after the first day of its affiliates convention, the network was evasive about which stations will become its new affiliates.

“We’re going to spend whatever it takes,” CBS Chief Executive Laurence A. Tisch said. “We’re going to have good affiliates in those markets. We’re going to be No. 1 in programming--that’s where the battle is going to be fought.”

At the same time, Tisch downplayed speculation that the affiliate defections would force CBS to pay more in so-called compensation payments, the money the networks pay affiliates to carry their programming. “I don’t think there will be any (across-the-board) increases,” he said.

In his first public statement since the Fox raid, Tisch was guarded in his remarks about Rupert Murdoch, chief executive of Fox parent News Corp., saying, “He had to do what he thought was best for his company.”

CBS affiliates looking for a definitive move by the network to replace stations lost to Fox expressed disappointment. There had been expectations that the network would come to its affiliate convention with a deal in place.

William Sullivan, president of WPAX-TV in Missoula, Mont., and head of the CBS affiliates advisory committee, said CBS stations were “looking for confidence” from the network. “By Friday we should have some indication where we’re going,” Sullivan said.

Earlier this year, CBS lost the National Football League contract to Fox after being outbid by $400 million. Peter Tortorici, president of CBS Entertainment, said the network will replace its Sunday afternoon football games with new made-for-TV movies and network TV premieres of theatrical films in a bid to counter-program with female-oriented broadcasts.

Tisch said CBS is looking at buying additional TV stations and that it will urge the Federal Communications Commission to lift ownership rules that limit the number of TV stations a broadcaster is permitted to own.

Still, Tisch unapologetically defended his strategy to keep CBS focused on its core business rather than on diversifying into related businesses such as cable TV. In recent years, ABC, NBC and Fox have all launched cable channels and invested in overseas broadcasting ventures.

“I’m a businessman,” Tisch declared. “I’ve been around a long time. (CBS) has over $1 billion in the bank earning money every day. There is no better asset.”

Asked how long he will continue to control CBS--Tisch was named chairman in 1987 after buying 25% of CBS stock--he attributed his reply to friend and legendary investor Warren Buffett: “I hope to retire 10 years after I die.”