CBS launches ad campaign against Time Warner, threatening loss of subscriber access unless a deal is made
CBS, one of the largest TV networks in the US, has launched an ad campaign pushing Time Warner Cable to make a deal on fees for three of its major stations.
The TV advert, running in New York, LA and Dallas, implies that Time Warner subscribers will lose access to CBS shows, starting next week, unless a deal on fees its made. Print ads pushing the same message will run in the same regions from Monday.
CBS execs claim that Time Warner Cable has refused to extend the current contract, which ended in June.
"Time Warner Cable is planning to drop the most popular programming in its entire channel lineup because it won't negotiate the same sort of deal that all other cable, satellite and telecom companies have struck with CBS," the network said in a statement. "Time Warner Cable has dropped nearly 50 channels in the last five years. CBS has never been dropped by a cable company before."
Meanwhile, Time Warner Cable argues CBS wants a 600 per cent increase in retransmition fees - the fees cable and satellite providers pay to networks for their broadcast signals - which it describes as “unreasonable”. It currently pays CBS between 75 cents and $1 per subscriber, according to AdAge, to air shows like Big Bang Theory and Under The Dome. .