(Telecompaper) Apple is nearing a deal with Time Warner Cable to give the cable operator's subscribers access to channels via Apple TV, people with knowledge of the negotiations told Bloomberg. The companies plan to announce an agreement within a few months, said the people. Apple is also hiring Pete Distad from online-video service Hulu, where he was senior vice president in charge of marketing and distribution, to help Apple executives in negotiations with media and cable companies, two people with familiar with the matter said. Time Warner Cable has struck similar deals to make programming available through Roku's online TV device and the Xbox gaming console. The cable provider also said last month it would start making programming available for some televisions made by Samsung.