JESSELL AT LARGE
Padden’s Reversal On Network-Affil Relations
Preston Padden was once a network exec whose job was to keep affiliates in line. Today, he’s seeing things differently. The relationship is way out of whack, he says. The networks have too much clout. I tend to agree, but, unlike Padden, I don’t think a solution is to be found in FCC oversight. One alternative may be for small affils to take a page from cable’s book and form a co-op to negotiate collectively with the networks.
Called NBCU+ Powered By Comcast, the suite of new advertising products combines Comcast analytics and addressability with the scale of NBCUniversal’s portfolio to improve network ads and offer sharply focused targets via VOD.
