CBS, Cablevision Make New Carriage Deal

Agreement covers WCBS, Showtime, Smithsonian, CBS Sports Network

By Jon Lafayette -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/5/2012 11:13:49 AM

CBS and Cablevision Systems said they reached a new agreement covering retransmission and carriage fees for CBS' broadcast and cable channels.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The agreement comes at a time when carriage negotiations between programmers and distributors have become more contentious. But CBS has managed to quietly complete new deals with several carriers. CBS announced a new carriage deal with AT&T earlier this week.

The companies said the new agreement includes WCBS-TV, the CBS owned station in New York area, as well as Showtime, Smithsonian Channel and CBS Sports Network. In addition to Cablevision customers in the New York area, customers in the Philadelphia and Denver market are also covered.

"Cablevision is a cornerstone partner in our flagship market. By recognizing the value of our content, this agreement assures the audiences we share with Cablevision will continue to be able to enjoy programming ranging from The Big Bang Theory to NCIS, 60 Minutes to the NFL, Homeland to Dexter, to Smithsonian Channel's award-winning programs and Jim Rome," Martin Franks, executive VP for planning, policy and government relations at CBS Corp., said in a statement.

"This broad agreement will ensure that Cablevision customers will continue to have access to the CBS programming they already enjoy, across a range of networks, as well as new services Cablevision will launch in the coming months, including Showtime Anytime and CBS primetime shows on demand," said Mac Budill, Cablevision's executive VP of programming.