BLOOMINGTON - Central Illinois Mediacom subscribers will be able to watch the Chicago Bears play - at least for now.

The cable provider reached an 11th-hour deal with station owner Sinclair Broadcast Group that will provide WYZZ Fox 43 at least through Jan. 5.

If the two companies can't come to financial terms by then, however, Mediacom subscribers will need to buy rabbit ears or subscribe to satellite service if they want to watch NFL football games and other Fox programs.

Sinclair and Mediacom announced a temporary deal late Thursday that kept the station from being blacked out today.

Officials with Sinclair would not comment beyond the extension announcement, so it's unclear if the two companies are any closer to a deal.

To date, Mediacom has refused to pay Sinclair's asking price to carry the station.

In a written statement, Mediacom Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rocco Commisso said "We look forward to completing a market-driven, non-discriminatory arrangement with Sinclair that holds down increases in cable rates to our customers."

Neither party will discuss the financial terms of negotiations.

Mediacom, which serves the small towns and rural areas surrounding Bloomington-Normal, Peoria and much of Central Illinois, cannot pickup another Fox affiliate. In the event a deal isn't reached, Mediacom is offering free antennas to customers.

Sinclair, meanwhile, offers a $100 rebate to people who switch to DirecTV by Dec. 31.

Sinclair also plans to pull ABC affiliates WICS-TV NewsChannel 20, which serves the Springfield market, and WICD-TV NewsChannel 15, which serves the Champaign market, from the Mediacom lineup.

Negotiations do not affect TV viewers in Bloomington-Normal, which is served by Insight Communications.