TVSquad

When is an exclusive not an exclusive? No, it's not a riddle. The answer is simple -- when everybody has the very same story or image or film. ABC had acquired the exclusive broadcast of President Barack Obama's first dance with Michelle at the Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration, which was the first ball that the new First Couple attended.

With Grammy-winner Beyonce singing "At Last" just for them, the two danced alone together on stage. However, ABC's first dance exclusive ended up on other networks.

The network reportedly paid $2 million for the exclusive images of the Prez and First Lady looking very much like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (you know, white tie and tails, gorgeous, flowing gown), but it didn't work out that way.

After other press pleaded with the network for footage of the President's speech, ABC agreed to share. However, instead of just running Obama's words, including comments about how great Michelle looked (and she did), all three cable news channels took some liberties with the feed and showed the dancing, too.

ABC is ticked off, according to insiders, but what can it do about it now? It sounds rather naive on its part to assume that in this day and age of everybody copping everybody else's rights that in this instance, the other channels wouldn't use the tape. Of course, if the others had, they could have seen Michelle and Barack dancing to "At Last" at nine other inauguration balls! They danced all night long. ABC with Beyonce's vocal was just the first and the best.