ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 6, 1995 TAG: 9512060070
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW YORK
SOURCE: Associated Press
ABC is joining the growing list of challengers to CNN, hoping the help of its local affiliates will give it a selling point that sets it apart from all-news ventures planned by NBC and Rupert Murdoch.
The network said Tuesday it will launch a 24-hour all-news channel in early 1997, providing an alternative - rather than a competitor - to the pioneer in the field, Cable News Network.
``We're going to try to take [24-hour news] to a different level,'' Roone Arledge, president of ABC News, said at a news conference with Robert Iger, president of Capital Cities-ABC Inc.
Iger declined to discuss the cost of the new venture.
CNN, the pioneer in round-the-clock television news, reacted calmly.
``While we respect our colleagues at ABC, we are confident that our record of excellence ... will enable us to compete successfully with their newly announced service,'' spokesman Steve Haworth said. ``The competition with them in 24-hour news will only make us better.''
ABC's announcement came less than a week after Murdoch, whose British Sky Broadcasting has a 24-hour news channel, said he planned a ``really objective news channel'' to compete with CNN.
Ted Turner, founder of CNN, said last week that he would squash Murdoch ``like a bug.''
``The difference in us and Rupert Murdoch is that we have a news organization,'' Arledge said. ``He's got to develop a domestic news organization before he can start thinking of cable.''
That advantage is shared by NBC, whose plan, announced in January, for a 24-hour all-news channel ``is still very much on track,'' said NBC spokeswoman Beth Comstock.
ABC already is a major cable programmer with its ESPN, Lifetime and A&E networks, but NBC also has established significant cable ventures, including its subsidiary CNBC and America's Talking networks.
NBC News is already an international player with the NBC Super Channel, primarily on cable, in 65 million homes in 44 countries from Iceland to Saudi Arabia.
ABC's service at first will not extend to overseas markets. ``We will not really explore international opportunities until the domestic service is up and running and being successful,'' Iger said.
Iger said ABC News' resources would be combined with those of ABC-owned Worldwide Television News, an international news syndicator, and at the same time provide strong local news through its affiliates.
``We intend to involve our affiliated stations around the country, and our own television stations, in providing a local news component for this 24-hour service,'' Iger said.
Distribution of the ABC service is ``our biggest challenge,'' Iger said. ``The cable world is fairly crowded in terms of channel space, and initially it's not going to be easy.''
Direct satellite outlets offer immediate distribution, but won't permit the integration of local news. ABC is also hearing from telephone companies whose new technologies will let them deliver video service.
ABC News produces TV's top-rated evening newscast, ``World News Tonight''; the top-rated Sunday panel, ``This Week with David Brinkley''; and Ted Koppel's ``Nightline.''
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Roone Arledge, president of ABC News (left), andby CNBRobert Iger, president of Capital Cities-ABC, answer questions
Tuesday about their plans for an all-news channel. color.