Apple Said to Near Time Warner Cable Deal for TV Programs

Apple is nearing a deal with Time Warner Cable to give subscribers of the cable television service access to channels via Apple TV, people with knowledge of the negotiations said.

The companies plan to announce an agreement within a few months, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. The iPhone maker is also hiring Pete Distad from online-video service Hulu LLC, where he was senior vice president in charge of marketing and distribution, to help Apple executives in negotiations with media and cable companies, two people with familiar with the matter said. A deal with Time Warner Cable would be a first with a cable company for Apple, which said last month that it’s also adding content from Time Warner’s HBO and Walt Disney’s ESPN. Apple is aiming to bolster sales of the $99 set-top box amid competition from Roku’s device and Microsoft’s Xbox. Meanwhile, media and service providers have been seeking more outlets to deliver shows to customers, who are opting for on-demand viewing and watching fewer scheduled shows.