According to several executives briefed by city officials, the Bloomberg administration is reluctant to put up as much money as Mr. Silver wants.

"They really want to do it," one executive briefed on the talks said of the partners involved.

But one executive briefed on the YouTube talks said the company is resistant to paying license fees for inclusion on the site.

The move was described yesterday by executives briefed on her plans, which are expected to be formally announced Monday.

While not all partners have agreed to the pact, a number have signed, according to one executive briefed on Mr. Wasserstein's plans.

According to one executive briefed on the negotiations, ABC never bid more than $400 million to retain the rights.

One executive briefed on the company's plans told All Things Digital, "I think they might get it right this time."

As a result, those calls have become tightly scripted affairs, with chief executives being prepped and briefed by a cadre of inside and outside advisers.

Sinopec, one of China's largest oil companies, was said by executives briefed on the talks to be the likeliest Chinese company in the project.

The executive briefed on the negotiations said that working through such questions was a main reason the talks had dragged on.