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'Difficult' talks ongoing with Time Warner Cable: CBS CEO Moonves

Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Corporation, Hall of Fame inductee, poses at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 22nd annual Hall of Fame gala in Beverly Hills, California March 11, 2013 file photo. REUTERS/Fred Prouser

Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Corporation, Hall of Fame inductee, poses at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 22nd annual Hall of Fame gala in Beverly Hills, California March 11, 2013 file photo.

Credit: Reuters/Fred Prouser

LOS ANGELES | Mon Jul 29, 2013 10:09pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - CBS Corp Chief Executive Leslie Moonves said on Monday he remained engaged in "difficult" negotiations with Time Warner Cable Inc ahead of a deadline to agree on fees the cable company pays to carry the broadcast network.

Moonves, speaking at a Television Critics Association meeting, said he hoped to reach an agreement and avoid a blackout of the highest-rated broadcaster on cable systems in markets such as New York and Los Angeles.

Talks were extended several times on Monday. Time Warner Cable spokeswoman Maureen Huff said the new deadline for a deal was 10 p.m. Eastern time. CBS said the companies agreed to negotiate "into the evening."

"It's a very difficult negotiation," Moonves said earlier on Monday at the TV critics meeting in Beverly Hills. "We feel like we should be paid for our programming."

"I hope we don't go dark," he added.

Last week, the two sides agreed to extend their talks until 5 p.m. EDT on Monday, keeping CBS and summer hits like "Big Brother" and "Under the Dome" on the air.

A Time Warner Cable spokeswoman said in response that CBS was "already paid for their programming and we've offered an increase in CBS fees."

She also hoped there would be no blackout of CBS.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Andrew Hay and Richard Pullin)

 
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