While ABC stations and Comcast continued their protracted battle over retransmission rights for WPVI-TV Philadelphia, all-news Philly TV, carried on independent WTVE(TV) Reading, Pa., offered to carry the ABC station's newscasts.
While it's easy to see why the news group would want to carry the area's top-rated station's news, it's less clear how the ABC station would benefit from its news' running on wtve, since it is seeking greater value for the station's retransmission rights by withholding them from Comcast.
Philly TV News' Jim Sweeney acknowledged that "it would be a great opportunity for us" but added that WPVI-TV could continue its public service by getting its news out to the people of the area. "A lot of people are going to be looking for their product" if it goes off Comcast, he said, adding, though, that "it might be beneficial to them if the people are out there screaming: 'We want Channel 6."
WPVI-TV General Manager Dave Davis said he appreciated the offer and had made no decision. The ABC station continued over Comcast through last week, due to an extension.
