Thursday, September 14, 2006

Speaking of the Interwebonetosphere as TV

This Fall Season appears to be the season of internet premieres and internet support of television. Cinerati has already reported that CBS will be using its Innertube streaming video site to support its more serial television shows (CSI:Miami, Jericho, and Survivor will be available for viewing on the site)>.

It looks like other networks will be following the lead and offering network content on the internet, according to today's Hollywood Reporter. The methods of raising money, and show selection, vary from network to network, but one thing is clear...your PC (or Mac) has become another television. This PC television has one major advantage over your regular TV, and no it isn't the higher possible screen resolution (though that is cool too). You can use your computer to watch the shows you want, when you want. On demand TV is being test marketed this season and it is an exciting time. With products like "Gold Rush" being marketed on AOL, can a major show/ARG be far behind?

Here is a list of the big three network sites and the shows they will be offering:

CBS -- Innertube

"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "CSI: Miami," "CSI: NY," "Jericho," "NCIS," "Numbers" and "Survivor" will be posted on Innertube the morning following their initial network broadcast. Episodes of the three "CSI" series, "NCIS" and "Numbers" will be available for four weeks while episodes of "Jericho" and "Survivor" will remain available on the broadband channel all season.


NBC -- I thought they were going to be limited to the "Netflix Premiere," but they decided to show me that they want to live in the now as well. Just click on the NBC 24/7 button at the NBC site.

The current player will begin exhibiting the new series Monday, but the NBC 24/7 branding won't kick in until Oct. 1.

Four episodes of the new comedies "30 Rock" and "Twenty Good Years" will be available, while eight episodes of the dramas "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," "Kidnapped," "Friday Night Lights" and "Heroes" will as well.


ABC -- In addition to their partnership with Apple which will allow you to download episodes for a fee, ABC is supporting an ad supported streaming network. I am very excited about their new show Ugly Betty.

Disney-ABC Television Group is returning its ad-supported player Sept. 23 with an even bigger lineup of series than it featured when the network first experimented with the technology in the spring. Seven series, including "Lost," "Ugly Betty" and "Six Degrees," will be featured four episodes at a time as well as "The Nine," the Warner Bros. TV series ABC secured through a separate deal that the companies announced Tuesday (HR 9/12).


Burgandy Skies already mentioned that her munchkin can watch Spongebob ad infinitum online, but this article doesn't want to delve to deep into how much content is going to be offered from the cable world. Let's just say...this is an exciting time to be a consumer, unless you are indecisive and don't like choices.

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