U.S. television networks NBC Universal and CBS have both announced plans to make some TV shows available for download at a cost of US$0.99 an episode.
The announcements, both made Monday, follow an October announcement that ABC Television Group would make a handful of its shows available for download for $1.99 at Apple Computer Inc.’s iTunes service.
NBC announced a multiyear agreement with DirecTV Inc. to distribute TV shows from the NBC, USA, Sci Fi, and Bravo networks, the company said in a press release. TV shows to be available include “Law & Order: SVU,” “Law & Order: CI,” “The Office,” “Monk,” “Surface” and “Battlestar Galactica.” The programs will be available on DirecTV’s Plus DVR (digital video recorder), which will be available at retailers such as Best Buy Co. Inc. and Circuit City Stores Inc. this month, and on pay per view.
The CBS deal, with Comcast Corp., will make four programs available through the cable operator, CBS said. Beginning in January, Comcast Digital Cable customers in markets served by CBS owned-and-operated television stations will be able to view episodes of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “NCIS,” “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race” on Comcast’s On Demand service.