Moonves: We’ll Talk with Large MSOs

MOONVES: WE'LL TALK TO LARGE MSOs
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Mike Farrell]
Hot off a retransmission-consent deal with nine small cable operators, CBS CEO Les Moonves said Tuesday that agreements with larger operators like Comcast and Time Warner Cable could be negotiated before their existing pacts expire. While CBS has pushed for cash for retrans for years and has been successful in getting paid in several smaller deals, there has been some skepticism that the broadcaster will be able to extract cash payments from larger operators, which represent a larger portion of the network’s advertising revenues. CBS’ deals with Comcast and Time Warner expire in the 2009-10 time frame. Asked if CBS may eventually charge affiliates for programming, the CBS CEO says the relationship with affiliates "continues to evolve." According to Moonves, there is “little chance” that CBS would part with any of its major market stations in the light of the coming retrans windfall.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6419809.html?display=Breaking+News

* Moonves Doesn't Say Never to Reverse Comp
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2007/02/27/daily.6/