Retrans Top Of Mind For NBCU’s Harbert

NBCUniversal’s yearlong challenge to negotiate retransmission deals for its stations is still some time off, says Ted Harbert, chairman of NBC Broadcasting. Harbert also represents NBC at the National Association of Broadcasters. He spoke on a NATPE panel in Miami Beach, Fla., Monday afternoon moderated by NATPE President Rick Feldman to discuss issues related to NBC’s television stations.

“I’ve been working on this for a year and I’m still working on it,” says Harbert of the retransmission talks with stations. “It’s complicated. The difficulty isn’t the idea or our relationship with those guys; it’s a lot of stations who don’t all have the same needs. So, coming up with one document to satisfy them all is complicated.”

The NBC strategy is unlike other retrans deals, in which TV stations are paid a fee by cable operators, satellite operators and telcos. Harbert wants NBC to negotiate those deals for all its affiliates and stations, essentially negotiating by proxy for all of them. He wants NBC to keep a set percentage of that money.

“We believe that, with scale, we can maximize revenue,” he says. “I’m not sure I have the answer how to do that, yet. But I’m working on it.”

Retrans is big money. Research firm SNL Kagan estimates that NBC stations pulled in about $21 million in retrans in 2011. Industrywide, retrans revenue is projected to surge from $500 million this year to $1.3 billion in 2015. So, doing it right can represent many millions of dollars.

Harbert was joined on the panel by NBCUniversal International President Jeff Shell.