CBS Soon To Launch OTT Service Nationwide, Moonves Says, Eyeing Incentive Auction

Apple’s deal with HBO to exclusively offer HBO’s mobile app (see 1503090035) is exciting for most of the communications industry other than some multichannel video programming distributors, CBS President Les Moonves said Wednesday at a Deutsche Bank investor conference webcast from Palm Beach, Florida. Apple's HBO deal paves the way for others, and there will be a similar offering from CBS-owned Showtime “in the not too distant future,” he said. The popularity of subscription VOD has made this the best time to monetize video content, Moonves said. “It is far better to be in broadcast than some of the other businesses out there." CBS’ over-the-top offering, CBS All-Access, will launch nationwide in a few months, Moonves said. He also spoke on the FCC incentive auction and said he is actively looking at participating in it with spectrum from CBS's CW and independent licenses. CBS could be "a major player" in the auction, Moonves said. Though he said NAB initially characterized the auction as a bad thing, his company's analysis of the numbers makes it seem like a profitable option, he said. If CBS could put up the spectrum of its CW and other independent stations and make $2 billion, it would be "dumb" not to participate, he said. "You're gonna see us being a full-fledged participant."