I didn't know the local DC station was an NBC affiliate. Have they always been? (I know local Atlanta stations have switched networks, so it's possible). Maybe they were ABC back then and had to give ABC first dibs on the tape.
But my guess is NBC turned down the tape.
I'm guessing media insiders knew about the tape for awhile. The Saturday NYT column now reads like an innoculation attempt.
I continue to think that if ABC really wanted to roast Kerrey on this, Peter Jennings would have aired it on his night news, before GMA.