Updated at 12:30pm Eastern
A partnership between Skyview Networks and ABC Audio will be coming to an end at the end of 2023, the Phoenix-based radio syndication and national ad sales firm has confirmed.
In a brief statement, Skyview noted that it is “proud to have supported ABC Audio’s 2014 re-launch in network radio.”
Since then, Skyview said it has experienced “substantial growth in support of ABC and many new partners.”
Now, as both parties look ahead, “Skyview and ABC have decided to conclude their business relationship beginning in 2024.”
What does this mean for stations relying on Skyview to receive ABC Audio content?
“ABC Audio and Skyview Networks are committed to working together to ensure a smooth transition, and Skyview will continue meeting the needs of the industry and its full-scale multi-partner relationships,” Skyview Networks said, confirming that it will continue representing ABC Audio network sales while also providing distribution service through 2023. “We wish ABC Audio continued success in the years ahead,” Skyview said.
The conclusion of the business relationship between Skyview and ABC Audio is somewhat of a surprise. As RBR+TVBR reported in July 2017, what was then known as ABC Radio agreed to an early extension of a content, ad sales, affiliate sales and audio distribution agreement. This signaled that their close relationship would continue through 2026.
Why is the agreement ending two years earlier than planned? A company representative who requested anonymity tells RBR+TVBR that while an agreement through 2026 was announced in 2017, the current agreement between ABC and Skyview Networks was set to conclude this year, and not in 2026. “Today’s announcement is an effort by both companies to ensure an orderly transition for the radio stations we serve,” the company representative said. “This Skyview-ABC business relationship has had a very good run of many years and both companies are separating with mutual respect and a commitment to serving our radio stations.”
ABC Audio’s relationship with Skyview began with the August 2014 announcement that at the start of 2015, its distribution deal with Cumulus/Westwood One would end, moving ABC News Radio to Skyview.
Skyview CEO Steve Jones then joined Skyview. Before joining Skyview Networks, spent many years at ABC under the ownership of The Walt Disney Company, leading business units at ABC News Audio and ABC News Digital.
Who owns ABC Radio now? No change there? But the larger question is “Why”? Will we ever know? Was this because of the huge interruption from the hackers? Will CBS follow and depart Skyview as well? So many questions!
We cancelled ABC News some time ago because the Skyview part of the distribution chain was constantly failing, leaving us with dead air. We never knew for sure what the problem was, only that it was a huge issue.
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