Deadline Extended in ABC Cable Fight

HOUSTON —  Walt Disney Co.’s ABC extended its deadline to the end of the month to cut off its programming from Time Warner Inc.’s Houston cable system as they try to negotiate a nationwide agreement on program carriage.

After failing to come to terms in meetings Thursday, the two sides decided to continue negotiations so about 680,000 Time Warner cable customers in Houston can continue receiving the ABC signal. Both sides claim the other wasn’t negotiating properly.

The companies have been trying to come to terms on a so-called retransmission agreement for Time Warner to continue carrying ABC programming in seven markets where ABC owns TV stations, including Houston, Los Angeles and New York.