CBS strikes deal with Altice as DirecTV, AT&T blackout continues

CBS and cable provider Altice USA have reached a multi-year carriage deal, the two companies said Monday. Financial terms weren't disclosed, but the renewed deal covers retransmission of CBS-owned stations and allows for the offering of Showtime, CBS Sports Network, Pop TV and Smithsonian Channel on Altice's Optimum and Suddenlink cable systems. (Editors' note: CNET is owned by CBS.)

Altice, which has nearly 5 million customers across 21 states, said it's pleased to extend its "longstanding partnership with CBS." The agreement also lets Altice continue to offer the Showtime digital streaming service to its broadband customers. 

The agreement comes during a blackout of CBS television stations for customers of DirecTV, DirecTV Now and AT&T U-Verse in 17 cities, as well as more than 100 CBS stations and affiliates on DirecTV Now. The blackout stems from the expiration earlier this month of a CBS-DirecTV deal signed in 2012, after the broadcaster and DirecTV owner AT&T failed to come to terms on a new carriage contract.