By Deborah
August 19, 2006 - 2:19 AM
CBS will begin streaming episodes of several new and returning prime-time shows for free on the Internet. CBS already sells downloads of episodes on Apple Computer’s iTunes Music Store and Google’s video store. In May, the network launched an advertising-supported online channel called “innertube” to stream programming created just for the Web.
On Tuesday, CBS announced that starting next month it will begin streaming episodes of a new show, "Jericho," as well as returning shows "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "CSI:Miami," "CSI:NY," "NCIS," "Numbers" and "Survivor." The shows will be available the day after they air on TV and will contain fewer ads than when they are shown on TV. The ads will also be shorter, typically 15 to 30 seconds, and cannot be skipped.
Episodes of "Jericho" and "Survivor" will remain available online for the entire season, while episodes of the other shows will be available for four weeks following their initial airing.
Larry Kramer, president of CBS Digital Media, said in a statement, "Making our new and returning prime-time series available to our viewers is the next step in innertube’s programming evolution."
CBS is the second network to begin showing prime-time episodes on the Internet. Last October, ABC was the first network to sell episodes on iTunes. In May, ABC began showing episodes of four prime-time shows, including "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives." ABC has been successful with their Internet streaming, saying that in May and June, the network’s site showed 16 million video streams. Expanded offerings are expected in the fall.
NBC has started a new web site to stream the pilot episodes of two new shows, "Friday Night Lights" and "30 Rock." The network does not yet offer prime-time ad-supported episodes online.
The Fox network sells episodes on iTunes, but has not begun showing episodes online.
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