CBS Warns DirecTV, AT&T U-verse May Drop Network In 17 Markets

(RTTNews) - CBS Corp. (CBS) has warned its customers that its network could be dropped from AT&T's various cable and satellite services if an agreement between the companies is not reached by July 19.

CBS Tuesday said it is negotiating with DirecTV, DirecTV Now and AT&T U-verse TV to reach a fair market value agreement for its programming. According to CBS, AT&T's proposal is unfair and well below those agreed to by its competitors.

"CBS would like to avoid being dropped, but unless an agreement is reached, our viewers should be prepared for DIRECTV and AT&T U-verse TV to remove CBS-owned television stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta, Tampa, Seattle, Detroit, Minneapolis, Miami, Denver, Sacramento, Pittsburgh and Baltimore at 11:00 PM, PT on July 19," CBS said in a statement.

DirecTV serves around 22.4 million traditional TV customers and 1.5 million subscribers to DirecTV Now, its live-streaming service, AT&T disclosed in April.