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View Full Version : Fox to Offer TV Shows Online


Jason Dunn
04-18-2006, 03:00 AM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/04/15/BUG78I9EH01.DTL?www.dailytech.com' target='_blank'>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/04/15/BUG78I9EH01.DTL?www.dailytech.com</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Fox Broadcasting said Friday that it has struck a deal that will make it possible for the network to post popular television shows such as "24" and "Prison Break" on the Internet. And in an interesting new twist on the Internet television model, Fox signed an agreement with its affiliate station groups -- such as KTVU in the Bay Area -- so they also get a cut of the revenue when shows appear online. The announcement comes just days after ABC said it will start streaming four television series on the Web for free in a two-month experiment beginning in May. The shows, "Alias," "Commander in Chief," Desperate Housewives" and "Lost," will be supported by advertising from such companies as Toyota and Procter &amp; Gamble, which viewers will not be able to skip."</i><br /><br />Man, when it rains, it pours! All the networks are falling over each other in the rush to offer their TV shows online. It's amazing, this is something I've wanted to see happen for years, but I have a very strong feeling it's going to be delivered with such heavy restrictions it will be all but useless. Perhaps I'm being too negative - has anyone tried watching any of the TV shows now being offered by a major network? What's the implementation like?

Vincent Ferrari
04-18-2006, 05:22 AM
The major gripe of the affiliates is now gone. Wow.

Paying affiliates for revenue they wouldn't make by people seeing the show on the air? Dare I say, that's quite revolutionary. As far as I know, this makes them the first to do it...

Wow...

I watch the Office on my iPod all the time, and I have to say it's quite good. It's more reliably available than torrents are, and the quality is impeccable for the small screen I'll be watching it on anyway.

I have to wonder how they're going to make it available... Heck... Porn sites have been doing video on demand with self-expiring licenses forever... Or is it only going to be streaming forever which will be utterly useless in the long run?

Makes you wonder what they have up their sleeves...