CBS Pulled From Time Warner Cable, CBS CEO: ‘We Are Now At War’

By Alex Weprin 

At midnight ET, after multiple temporary extensions, CBS and Time Warner Cable failed to come to terms on a new retransmission consent agreement, and the companies say CBS feeds will be pulled as soon as possible. Showtime, Flix, The Movie Channel and Smithsonian Channel are also being pulled.

Millions of Time Warner Cable customers will be affected, including those in New York City, Los Angeles and Dallas, three of the largest TV markets in the country. As of 12:15 AM, WCBS was still available on Time Warner Cable in New York City.

“We are now at war with Time Warner Cable,” CBS CEO Les Moonves said to the LA Times’ Joe Flint.

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“The outrageous demands for fees by CBS Corporation have forced Time Warner Cable to remove several of its networks,” TWC said in a statement. “We offered to pay reasonable increases, but CBS’s demands are out of line and unfair – and they want TWC to pay more than others.”

Update: Shortly after 12:30 AM Time Warner Cable said in a statement that is returning CBS network signals to subscribers. It is unclear whether this is another temporary extension, or a permanent deal. Stay tuned.

AM Update: CBS will remain available while the two sides continue to negotiate. New deadline is Friday. “CBS and Time Warner Cable have agreed to continue discussions,” CBS says.

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