ABC became the second network in two days to confirm that it is canceling its
engineering breakfast at the National Association of Broadcasters' convention
this year.
But ABC's motives, a network spokeswoman said, are different from those of
NBC, which canceled its breakfast and affiliate meeting in retaliation for the
NAB's recent co-filing on the TV-ownership issue at the Federal Communications
Commission with the Network Affiliated Stations Alliance.
ABC's motive: Lack of interest on the part of affiliates. The network took a
survey of its affiliate body and found that far fewer ABC affiliate stations
were sending engineering people to the convention and, thus, to its breakfast.
So it opted to cancel.
But the network will send its usual contingent of staffers to the show, led
by president of operations and engineering Preston Davis.
Meanwhile, CBS is sending fewer people to the show, but it will hold its
engineers' breakfast as scheduled.
And NBC, while boycotting the convention completely at the network level,
said its owned TV-stations group will send a small contingent to the show. The
exact number is not confirmed, but the spokesman said it would be five and
possibly seven staffers to peruse the convention floor and check out new
technology.
