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Moonves Says CBS Could Move to Cable ‘in a Few Days’ if Networks Lose Aereo Suit

May 1, 2013  •  Post A Comment

CBS chief Leslie Moonves said he isn’t losing sleep over broadcast-streaming service Aereo, adding that if the lawsuit brought by the networks isn’t resolved in the courts, he’s willing to switch CBS to cable, reports Deadline.com.

"We can do it in a few days. If we go to cable, if we are forced to, then about 10% of America will not get our signal and I don’t think they will like that,” said Moonves, who spoke at the Milken Institute’s Global Conference.

"We will go after them in the courts and if that doesn’t work there are other remedies. There are financial remedies; there are congressional remedies," Moonves said.

The piece adds: “The CBS chief said that with around 2,000 subscribers in NYC, the ‘illegal’ Aereo won’t hurt the network but that he still intends to shut them down.”

Commenting on the veteran media executive behind Aereo, Moonves said: “Barry Diller has done what he likes to do, disrupt things.”

7 Comments

  1. Les, your nuts.
    I wonder what your affiliates think of this?
    CBS will lose this lawsuit just as it has done so far. Its a user accessing their antenna to watch their locals for their area. It’s not illegal.

  2. What does this do to sports rights agreements like the NFL?

  3. No big deal. Here in Chicago the O&O has such poor coverage that they are already off the air for those using antenas.

  4. He’s assuming that 10% of America would even notice that CBS was missing

  5. Go right ahead, Les – Just makes room for new digital channels that will continue to attract viewers and erode cable’s market.

  6. Les says if the public gets to use the public airwaves, he’s gonna take his ball and go elsewhere. Whadda putz!

  7. Well, anyone that would marry CHENBOT is obviously insane. Oh, and he’s completely full of shit, too.

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