The Brookhaven area cable provider is in ongoing negotiations to renew a contract with the local CBS affiliate and associated channels.

     Cable One’s current contract with Media General for the rights to carry WJTV CBS, WJTV Retro TV and WJTV Weather ends at midnight on Dec. 31.

     A Cable One official said there are no specific details currently available, but preliminary results look positive.

     “Negotiations are still ongoing,” said John Hilbert, Cable One general manager for Brookhaven, McComb and Natchez. “At this point, we are very optimistic and things are moving forward,”

     Hilbert believes further details may be available soon.

     “We are close to something,” he said.

     Hilbert had initially hoped he might receive word of successful negotiations Monday.

     By late Monday afternoon, though, Hilbert revised his expectations and suggested there might be an update on negotiations sometime this week.

     Hilbert, who’s not directly involved in negotiations, said since the negotiating process has several weeks to go before the contract expires, there’s plenty of time for the two companies to reach an agreement.

     He’s hopeful customers won’t see a disruption.

     “We go through these pretty much every year with one station or another,” Hilbert said. “We have been able to retain all of them over the last 10 years, so I remain optimistic.”

     Past experience with Media General also gives Hilbert optimism.

     “We have a great relationship with Media General,” he said.

     Cable One areas beyond Brookhaven stand to be impacted by the outcome of the ongoing negotiations.

     “It’s not just the system for Brookhaven that is affected by this,” Hilbert said. “There are several stations throughout Mississippi.”

     These also service areas on the Gulf Coast and Yazoo County, he said.