CNN Newsource reportedly bars Nexstar stations from using its content

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CNN has reportedly barred Nexstar Media Group stations from using content from its Newsource service, according to a report first published by FTVLive.

Multiple sources told FTVLive that the apparent ban stems from a directive at Nexstar that instructs stations to stop sharing breaking news stories with CNN because the company wants to keep that content for its cable news program “NewsNation.”

CNN representatives declined to comment on any affiliate relationships.

Newsource was developed by CNN in its early days.

Participating stations were asked to contribute local video and content from their newsrooms.

In exchange, local “affiliates,” as CNN calls them, get access to recorded and live footage from the network’s own crews, exclusive segments and other content.

CNN also distributes select content from local affiliates to other participating stations.

CNN charges a fee to participate in the service in addition to asking partners to contribute content. In some cases, CNN uses a revenue share model when a partners’ content is used elsewhere, according to its sales website.

If Nexstar stations are holding back content from Newsource, CNN could lose valuable access to key stories that it might not have a cost effective way to get access to otherwise, though CNN declined to comment of what, if any, effects the reported policy has had on Newsource.

The service has 1,100 partners, according to CNN.

Newsource is similar to the national and international news services that major U.S. networks provide their local stations. These services typically create content that its local affiliates can air as well as compiling regional and local news and then distributing it across the service.

Network news services also provide stations with the option for stations to “dip in” to live standup reports from big national stories — often getting a choice between a generic one that more than one station takes live at the same time or a custom one that can even include the station’s mic flag and a tag that mentions the local station’s branding or name.