Last week, AT&T debuted DIRECTV NOW, the company’s latest video streaming service which offers users a plethora of various video content for between $35 and $80 per month. However, one particular line of content that is not included with the new service is the content on offer from CBS. While a few premium networks like HBO aren’t present in any standard DIRECTV NOW package, users can at least pay extra to get access to them via AT&T’s service, while the same isn’t true for CBS which isn’t present on DIRECTV NOW in any shape or form.
However, that hole in AT&T’s program is likely to be fixed soon, at least according to the CBS Chairman, Leslie Moonves. While speaking at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in New York City earlier today, Moonves suggested that CBS programming should be added to DIRECTV NOW offerings shortly, providing that the two companies can come to an agreement. Moonves seemingly isn’t too troubled by the fact that CBS content wasn’t available on DIRECTV NOW at launch as he lightheartedly stated “we are not unreasonable people here”. Adding that he believes AT&T and CBS can certainly come to an agreement in the future.
However, it’s almost a given that AT&T already approached CBS before launching DIRECTV NOW. After all, the said television network owns a whole lot of fan-favorite shows including NCIS, The Big Bang Theory, The Mentalist, Criminal Minds, Survivor, and Supergirl. In other words, it doesn’t seem likely that AT&T thought people wouldn’t notice the lack of CBS content on its new streaming service. Therefore, the assumption is that negotiations more than likely stalled over fees. So, it’s probable that this statement from Moonves was intended to ease some pressure off tense negotiations with the second largest wireless carrier in the country.
In addition to DIRECTV NOW, the CBS Chairman also revealed that the network is currently negotiating with YouTube’s upcoming online TV service which the Google-owned company has yet to officially announce. Moonves concluded his speech by asserting that CBS will stay in touch with modern methods of consuming media content, reminding everyone attending the said conference that CBS All Access has kicked off and that already serves over a million subscribers.