AT&T’s Online Version of DirecTV Said to Launch Without CBS
- 100-channel service said to forge ahead next week with network
- CBS said lone holdout among nation’s largest media companies
Next week, AT&T Inc. is leaping into online streaming with DirecTV Now, but it’s taking the plunge without CBS Corp., the most popular TV network and the lone holdout for the service among the top media companies, according to people familiar with the matter.
Aimed at would-be cable customers, DirecTV Now is a package of more than 100 live channels delivered over the internet for $35 a month. AT&T, which has delayed the project for more than a year as it hammered out deals for streaming rights, will offer channels from NBCUniversal, Fox, Disney, Turner and others. But the company is unlikely to reach a financial agreement with CBS before its planned introduction, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information.