CBS Chief Hints at Imminent Apple TV Content Deal

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In a recent interview on Bloomberg TV, CBS Chief Executive Officer Les Moonves hinted at an imminent TV programming deal with Apple, while also adding that the company is having similar discussions with Facebook and Netflix Iabout rights to stream TV shows and live broadcasts over the Internet.

“Apple is having conversations with everyone about doing their own streaming services,” Moonves said in an interview Wednesday on Bloomberg TV. “We have had those conversations, as have the other networks. Do I think something will happen? Probably, but I do not know when.”

Traditional cable had already been under pressure from video-streaming services like Hulu and Amazon.com’s Prime. Moonves said CBS shows are popular and will fare well as new distribution models evolve. 

It is believed that with popular shows like “The Big Bang Theory” and “Criminal Minds”, CBS is one of the key elements to a live subscription service that Apple hopes to use to revolutionize TV.

Apple is said to have delayed the launch of its much rumoured live online TV service until next year after gaining little progress on program licensing discussions with media companies. Meanwhile, companies like CBS have been concerned that subscriber fees and advertising sales are at risk as the pay-TV industry loses viewers.

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