Time Warner, Comcast to start online video trials
PHILADELPHIA -- Time Warner and Comcast on Wednesday took concrete steps to bring cable television shows to the Internet — but only for paying cable subscribers.
In a nod that migration of content viewing is rapidly moving online and to the mobile phone, Time Warner, one of the world's largest entertainment companies, and Comcast, the nation's largest cable operator, said they'll start online video trials nationally in July.
"It's clearly something demanded by consumers," said Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes, at a press conference in New York. "If this approach gets adopted ... it will go past broadcast viewing (online), which is basically three networks on Hulu."
The test will involve 5,000 Comcast customers who will get access to Turner Broadcasting System's TNT and TBS cable networks. Turner is a unit of Time Warner. Time Warner Cable, which separated from its parent this year, is not part of the trials.
TNT and TBS make such shows as The Closer and Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns. Viewers can access the shows initially at Comcast.net and Fancast.com. Eventually, they will be available on TNT.tv and TBS.com. There is no additional fee. Bewkes said the best and most popular shows will be the first ones to go online.
Eventually, "we want to be able to have all our shows on demand and on the Internet," said Comcast CEO Brian Roberts at the same press conference. "This marks the very logical next evolution of where cable television has come from."
Most cable shows are not available online, unless they're versions viewers share with each other over the Internet. Time Warner and Comcast say that a successful outcome of their trial would open the floodgates for shows currently not easily accessible or available — such as full hours of CNN's Larry King Live — for over 90% of households that pay for TV.
The two executives emphasized that there won't be an additional fee to watch the shows online, but programmers are free to tinker with the business model later on. Shows can be made available soon after they air on their regular schedule — similar to what's available on video on demand.
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