CBS chairman and CEO Les Moonves hinted his network’s programming slate could soon be added to the DirecTV now streaming service. CBS is the only network of the big four that has not come to an agreement to be available to viewers via the new service. (Via The Verge)
“I’m assuming we’ll be able to make a deal with them,” he said when asked about AT&T’s new television streaming service. “As they said in The Godfather, ‘We are not unreasonable people here.’’ Moonves spoke today at the UBS Global Media and Communications conference.
“[DirecTV Now] is obviously something they’re going to lose money on initially,” said Moonves. “There’s no way it can last a whole long time at $35 for 80 channels.”
While it is believed that a CBS deal to appear on the DirecTV Now service would bring the company’s Showtime premium channel to the service also, Moonves indicated viewers shouldn’t hope for the same $5 per month cost for Showtime as they are now paying for HBO and its sister service, Cinemax. The CBS CEO noted there were other considerations beyond “economic factors” involved in the negotiations.
Moonves also commented that CBS programming would also likely be available via the as-yet unannounced YouTube Live television streaming service.
