ABC and TNT have dished out approximately $25 million to share the network broadcasting rights to Steven Spielbergs WAR OF THE WORLDS, reports VARIETY. Previously, HBO secured the exclusive pay TV window from summer 2006 through the end of 2007. ABC will be able to air the film, beginning the second quarter of 2008 exclusively for three years. ABC plans to air WORLDS three times in primetime before it goes to TNT for multiple runs over the next two years. In 2013, HBO will gain a second pay window of 12 months after which the film will return to ABC and TNT.
However, after the second HBO run, DreamWorks will have the rights to license the film in TV syndication for two broadcasts. Tribune Ent. has inked an agreement with DreamWorks, which gives it the right to clear TV stations including the Tribune-owned outlets for all DreamWorks titles. Stations get one month for two airings of each of the modest-grossing titles and nine days for blockbusters like WORLDS. Stations do not have to pay for the broadcasts, but in turn give 14 minutes within each two-hour run to Tribune, which sells the advertising on behalf of DreamWorks.
The $25 million DreamWorks is receiving from ABC and TNT is much lower than the previous standard of 15% of the domestic box office, which in the case of WORLDS would be $34.5 million. Studios are receiving less and less money from TV networks for films, because ratings have dropped due to DVD and other home entertainment avenues.
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