Director - Business Affairs

ABC NEWS BUSINESS AFFAIRS has an opening for a Director, reporting to the Senior Vice President. Individual is a seasoned negotiator who is business-minded and understands the drivers of both broadcast and digital news; can manage the different business and legal aspects of digital and long-form; is expert at contract reading, writing and negotiating within news deadlines; can review and close deals at the network level or similar; builds relationships quickly within the business (News Standards, Publicity, Legal, Shows) and across vendors and clients; is familiar with media and/or news practices highly preferred. Project and staff management are highly desirable as well. Responsibilities

• Support and advise senior executives on key business issues and provide business and legal guidance to internal clients concerning production, broadcast show clearance and other issues as needed.
• Negotiate and prepare production contracts, including complex licensing deals or special partnerships agreements between shows and outside networks and companies.
• Maintain standards and procedures for the department while protecting the intellectual property of the network by guaranteeing uniformity in the licensing of the ABC brand, including news anchors and exclusive ABC content.
• Prepare talent, producer, license and location agreements for ABC News shows and specials; negotiate with lawyers and agents major deal points including compensation and production duties.
• Work with Legal, Production Teams and Finance on negotiating revenue splits, back-end participation and all deal points concerning delivery.
• Work with the ABC News group that executes outside licensing to cable companies; manage business issues and contract terms for original productions and co-production deals.
• Support Digital Group and ABC News Now on content distribution deals - facilitating, negotiating and helping to structure the deals while working with Disney Business Development on their implementation.
• Execute all special projects for News Standards including negotiating partnership deals requiring editorial expertise and acting as the liaison in the areas of investigative reporting, politics, and non-profit grant funders like the Gates Foundation.
• Negotiate and draft all licensing agreements for studios, networks, and production companies that request footage from ABC, evaluating requests for aired and non-aired interview footage, while reviewing script submissions to approve or deny these requests.
• Handle all contract negotiations with educational institutions for new content distribution deals, renewals and product fulfillment.
• Work with R&C staff that executes proper rights documentation and preparation of reports that are provided to International, Home Viewing, and Digital. In conjunction with the reports, advise of available windows for content distribution and their limitations on redistribution.

Basic Qualifications

• 10+ years’ experience in media, business/corporate law.
• Must have strong familiarity and understanding of both broadcast and digital platform R&C protocols.
• Must have understanding of News Standards and Copy Right/Property Law.
• Must have outstanding writing, reviewing and negotiating of contracts.
• Must have excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Must be superior at building and maintaining internal and external relationships.

Preferred Qualifications

• 15+ years’ experience in media, business/corporate law; Project and staff management highly desirable

Required Education

• Juris Doctor

Preferred Education

• JD + MBA (or other business degree)

Additional InformationEqual Opportunity Employer Female/Minority/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity