Breaking: CBS, Time Warner Cable end contract dispute*

KCBS came back on the air shortly after 3. Still waiting for KCAL. The two companies announced an agreement after an impasse that lasted more than four weeks, leaving around 3 million subscribers in L.A., N.Y., and Dallas without CBS programming. The standoff, which centered on the retransmission fees TWC paid to CBS stations, as well as digital rights related to Web programming, lasted longer than many analysts had expected. However, the approach of the NFL season, along with next week's U.S. Open tennis finals, led to speculation that an agreement would be reached this week. From CBS head Les Moonves (via Deadline):

This was a far more protracted dispute than anyone at CBS anticipated, but in spite of the pain it caused to all of us, and most importantly the inconvenience to our viewers who were affected, it was an important one, and one worth pursuing to a satisfactory conclusion. That has been achieved. The final agreements with Time Warner Cable deliver to us all the value and terms that we sought in these discussions. We are receiving fair compensation for CBS content and we also have the ability to monetize our content going forward on all the new, developing platforms that are right now transforming the way people watch television.

From TWC:

Glenn Britt, Time Warner Cable's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, made the following statement: "We're pleased to be able to restore CBS programming for our customers, and appreciate their patience and loyalty throughout the dispute. As in all of our negotiations, we wanted to hold down costs and retain our ability to deliver a great video experience for our customers. While we certainly didn't get everything we wanted, ultimately we ended up in a much better place than when we started. We are also encouraged by the 50+ consumer organizations and legislators that supported our call for Congress and the FCC to reassess the 1992 retransmission consent rules. The rules are woefully out of date, are the primary reason cable bills are rising, and too frequently leave our customers without the programming they love. We sincerely hope that policymakers heed that call and take action to prevent these unfortunate blackouts soon."

*Edited post