In a call with analysts and the press regarding the company’s latest financial results, CBS CEO Les Moonves said the network turned down an ad-based Apple TV deal, reports “GigaOm” (http://macte.ch/QpLAw).
Apple has long been rumored to be working on a subscription streaming service that would aggregate content from multiple TV networks and compete against more traditional cable and satellite services. That project has yet to see the light of day as Apple apparently hasn’t convinced enough content providers to join. But no one had publicly confirmed that such an offering was actually in the works until now.
The decision not to join the effort follows CBS’s philosophy of getting paid upfront licensing fees for syndication of its content online, as opposed to partnering on revenue-sharing agreements, note “GigaOm.” Unlike ABC, Fox and NBC, CBS has never participated in the Hulu venture.