CBS, Time Warner Cable Avoid Carriage Fight

CBS and Time Warner Cable said they reached an agreement that extends the cable operator's retransmission of signals from CBS’s television stations and its carriage of Showtime Networks’ programming through 2013. CBS and Showtime programming will also be part of Time Warner Cable’s Start Over and Look Back services, which allow viewers to watch shows from the beginning after they’ve begun to air. CBS CEO Les Moonves has been securing cash payments for retransmission from smaller cable operators, but bigger operators have been resisting. The two companies did not disclose financial details of the agreement. On New Year’s Day, Time Warner Cable reached a new carriage agreement with Viacom, which like CBS is controlled by Sumner Redstone. "We are extremely pleased to have reached this agreement which recognizes the value of our programming to Time Warner Cable and its subscribers," Mr. Moonves said in a statement. "The CBS Television Network and Showtime are an essential component of any meaningful ... (link)