Complete Coverage: NAB Show 2016
Las Vegas-Ben Sherwood, co-chairman of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney-ABC Television Group, acknowledged downward ratings pressure on broadcast networks and stations but asserted their superpower to reach broad audiences during an opening-day keynote session.
Dismissing the premature obituaries that have been written for decades about the TV business, he took the audience back to the 1998 NAB Show, which featured an address by Disney's current CEO, Bob Iger. His call to action continues to resonate, Sherwood said. We must think bolder and bigger. We must harness some of the radical energy to reimagine our businesses.
Sherwood noted that local broadcasting in 2015 created $1.4 trillion of economic activity and created 2.65 million jobs. More fundamentally, the bond between viewers and local broadcasters cannot be duplicated, he argued. No app, no device is ever going to replace that relationship, he said. That is our superpower. That is our competitive advantage.
Related: NAB 2016-Smith Opens Show With Mix of Broadsides and Bouquets
In order to further leverage that connection, Sherwood said ABC is seeking to expand the amount of streaming content that local stations make available to consumers. While not quite a stand-alone OTT offering a la CBS All Access, it is a step forward for the network whose Watch ABC app in 2013 was an early innovation in the space.
We are pioneering creative, three-way distribution arrangements among ABC, our affiliates and video providers. These efficient, turn-key deals allow our affiliates to opt into partnerships that work for them, preserving the powerful local-national relationship while expediting the delivery of their signals.
Related: NAB 2016-A Lot of Firsts for ATSC 3.0
The effort, dubbed Clearinghouse, is launching with partnerships with DirecTV and Sony. Fourteen of the ABC owned-and-operated affiliates are onboard at launch, with others rolling it out in the months to come.
Innovation, Sherwood said, is crucial in a media landscape which offers 25 different ways to watch a single TV episode. More video content is uploaded to YouTube in 60 days, he said, than the three oldest broadcast networks created in their first 60 years of existence.
Related: COO Staggs Leaving Post at Walt Disney
After his solo remarks, Sherwood sat with NAB president and CEO Gordon Smith, who had earlier delivered his opening keynote. During his initial remarks, he name-checked predecessor Anne Sweeney and former ABC entertainment chief Paul Lee for their efforts in starting the ball rolling on diversity in programming. The network is regarded as the leader among broadcasters, with shows from Scandal to black-ish to Fresh off the Boat re-setting norms.
America looks and feels different than it did 50 years ago, 20 years ago, 10 years ago, he told Smith. Youll see us, in harmony with the audience, making shows that are as popular and relevant and compelling as they can be. And that means the people on the shows and the people making the shows are going to be looking at and talking about different things.
Related: Disney-What Happened And What Happens Next
Sherwood and Smith then welcomed longtime ABC News reporter Bob Woodruff, who received the NAB Distinguished Service Award to a sustained ovation. Woodruff suffered a severe brain injury while on assignment in Iraq, but has battled back to resume on-air appearances while also steering a foundation that has raised $30 million for wounded veterans.
I have to say that I might be the first person to get an award here for getting his head blown off, Woodruff quipped. His 10-minute remarks covered everything from his summers as a lineman for cable companies to his first on-air report in Redding, Calif. to his travels in Beijing as the Tiananmen Square rebellion took shape. Movingly, he described the arduous recovery from his injury, in a hospital ward where he lay unconscious for 36 days. Because of soldiers who attended to him in the field and got him medical care quickly, he pulled through.
The men and women who volunteer to serve our country -- their quick action and their bravery is the very reason I am alive today, Woodruff said.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
Complete Coverage: NAB Show 2016
