CBS (NYSE:CBS)
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Les Moonves, chief executive of CBS Corp. (CBS), said Thursday that the company's participation in the cable industry's push towards an online video subscription model will boost its revenue.

CBS recently struck a deal with Comcast Corp. (CMCSK, CMCSA) to participate in its test of an online video subscription offering, which allows video customers to watch pay-TV programming on the Web by confirming their subscription through an online authentication process.

The test comes as pay-TV operators, like cable and satellite providers, and cable TV networks are moving to preserve their subscription business model amid the rise of online video.

Broadcasters, like CBS, are more reliant on ad revenue - a shortcoming in their business model that they're trying to remedy by negotiating for higher carriage fees, or retransmission fees, from TV service providers. The move to online video subscription brings another opportunity for broadcast networks to share more in subscription fees.

"The good news is that new initiatives like authentication appear to have us on a track towards closer economic parity online and on air," said Moonves. "Whether you call it authentication, reverse comp or retransmission fees our content is increasingly benefitting from multiple revenue streams."

-By Nat Worden, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2472; nat.worden@dowjones.com