network affiliation agreement

This Subtopic tells a broadcaster (licensee) how to account for rights acquired under a license agreement for program material: when to recognize the asset and related liability, at what amounts to record them, and how to amortize and test them for impairment. The core rule is that the license is treated as a purchase of a right or group of rights, recognized when the license period begins and three cost/acceptance/availability conditions are met, then amortized based on estimated future showings and carried at the lower of unamortized cost or fair value. It also governs accounting for terminated network affiliation agreements.

ASC 920-10 is the Overall subtopic of the Entertainment—Broadcasters Topic, which sets out industry-specific financial accounting and reporting standards for broadcasters. It is incremental guidance only: broadcasters must also apply all other applicable GAAP (920-10-15-1). The Topic covers all entities considered broadcasters and all their transactions, including network affiliation agreements, but excludes broadcasters that own the film (program material) they show, which instead follow ASC 926 (920-10-15-2, 15-3).