CBS and Time Warner Cable have finally ended their dispute over retransmission fees, which lead to CBS stations being blacked out for a month. The blackout affected 3 million TWC subscribers in several major markets, including Los Angeles, New York and Dallas.
The network’s programming started up again at 6 p.m. Monday afternoon for the markets affected. According to USA Today, when the two sides announced that they had reached a deal, they did not release financial details. The dispute began over fees, with TWC complaining that CBS was asking for far too much of an increase for its programming. CBS said that it was asking for a hike that corresponded to the amount of viewers who tune in for its programming.
On Aug. 2, the dispute reached an apex when CBS stations went dark for TWC subscribers in Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Boston, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Detroit and Denver.
“The final agreements with Time Warner Cable deliver to us all the value and terms that we sought in these discussions,” CBS CEO Les Moonves said in an email to employees, notes USA Today. “This has been a difficult time for our viewers and for CBS. I am glad it's behind us. It's good to be back.”
“While we certainly didn't get everything we wanted, ultimately we ended up in a much better place than when we started,” Time Warner Chairman and CEO Glenn Britt said in a statement, notes The New York Daily News. “As in all of our negotiations, we wanted to hold down costs and retain our ability to deliver a great video experience for our customers.”
While the blackout did last longer than anticipated, it ended precisely when many expected it would - just before the start of the NFL season.
image: CBS