With the World Series just days away, federal regulators are ratcheting up the pressure on Cablevision and Fox to end a weeklong blackout that has deprived 3 million Cablevision customers of Major League Baseball games and Fox shows like “Glee.”

Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission sent letters to Cablevision CEO James Dolan and News Corp. Vice Chairman Chase Carey, asking them to detail the precise nature of their talks and whether they were negotiating in “good faith.”

While FCC rules require programmers and cable operators to negotiate in good faith, the agency is largely powerless to force any kind of deal on the companies. Still, that hasn’t stopped regulators from flexing some muscle to end the standoff.

“Your contract dispute extends beyond Fox and Cablevision,” FCC Media Bureau Chief William Lake wrote in the letter. “It affects millions of innocent consumers who expect to watch their preferred broadcast programming without interruption. We urge you to place the interests of these consumers first and conclude your negotiations promptly.”

Lake wants both sides to get back to him by Monday. Last week, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski called on both parties to end their “petty gamesmanship.”