CBS Turned Down Apple TV Subscription Service Deal

les moonvesDuring an earnings call today, CBS CEO Les Moonves is reported to have revealed that CBS had turned down an Apple TV service that would rely on advertising revenue.

As reported by GigaOM:

When asked about CBS’s appetite for striking deals with new streaming providers that might not have the money to pay cash upfront to license its content, Moonves said that CBS had decided against joining an Apple TV service because it was based on an ad split.

Apple has been long rumored to be working on some sort of TV subscription service over the past few years. A Wall Street Journal article from December, 2009 described one possible iteration of the service:

The proposed service by the maker of iPhones and iPod music players could, in at least some scenarios, offer access to some TV shows from a selection of major U.S. television networks for a monthly fee, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Such a service, of course, has never launched. But it's not clear if that particular plan was canceled or is awaiting the arrival of a full Apple television.

Rumors of a full blown Apple TV set were recently revived after Steve Jobs' biography quoted Jobs as saying he had "finally cracked" the problems standing in the way of an Apple television set.

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Top Rated Comments

Trapped Wind Avatar
179 months ago
I cut the cord 2 months ago and it was the best thing I've ever done. A Macbook Pro, iPad, and Apple Tv are all I need. CBS is making a huge mistake. There's a new subscription world upon us and either they embrace it or people will steal content. I'm not paying over $100 for Hillbilly Handfishing and the rest of the garbage they feed us. Oh and I also haven't seen a commercial in 2 months!!
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MovieCutter Avatar
179 months ago
That's fine, I'll just torrent the 2 CBS shows I watch if they don't want to deliver them to me legitimately through a convenient method.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArchaicRevival Avatar
179 months ago
Now that Steve is gone I wonder if there's someone who can persuade them to join this new technology!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TMar Avatar
179 months ago
Networks have gotten so use to getting paid twice on content (selling access to providers then selling ad space) I say good riddance to them all. There's a need for a new standard for delivering content and it's not going to break my heart when these greedy corps die because they can't change.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nagromme Avatar
179 months ago
I think I’d rather pay (or even view-with-ads) on a per-show basis than per-network. Support current quality shows that tend to fade into cancellation, and boycott the endless reality clones!

(I’ve never opted for cable, but my iMac does have HD rabbit ears!)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProwlingTiger Avatar
179 months ago
Good for CBS. It's about time someone doesn't cave in and bow to Apple. Apple is the monopoly now, even thought they once hated monopolies.

You don't understand the definition of a monopoly.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)