If you’re one of the millions of Time Warner Cable customers in cities like New York, L.A., and Dallas, who also happens to like such fine CBS fare as Big Bang Theory and Big Brother, you can start the blackout countdown clock now. The broadcaster says it might turn off its signal for TWC customers if it doesn’t have a new contract with the cable company by 5 p.m. on July 24.

The current deal on carriage fees — the money paid by cable/satellite providers to content providers — between these two companies actually expired on June 30, but they agreed to extend the arrangement for a few more weeks. Now that deadline is coming up and no new agreement has been reached, which means it’s time for yet another too-public slap-fight between a broadcaster and a cable company.

CBS accuses TWC of being unwilling to “negotiate the same sort of deal that all other cable, satellite and telco companies have struck with CBS.”

Meanwhile, TWC claims that in the bigger markets the network is demanding “unreasonable” fees that are 600% higher than in other areas of the country.

CBS has already started its own site, KeepCBS.com, to highlight all the various NCIS shows customers will have to go without if the blackout occurs.

Mysteriously, CBS has the highest ratings of the broadcast networks, so TWC will definitely be under pressure from customers.

Regardless, in the end the two parties will come to a mutually beneficial agreement — that customers should pay more. So, unless you’re in a city where the cable price is regulated, expect to see your rates go up as a result of this latest showdown.

CBS in Contract Showdown With Time Warner Cable [NY Times]

CBS Warns of Possible Time Warner Cable Blackout [WSJ]

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