Time Warner Cable and Comcast reportedly have been holding separate talks with the owners of major cable-TV networks with the goal of finding ways to give cable subscribers online access to much of the programming that cable has to offer.
According to The Wall Street Journal, cable’s discussions with TV network owners Viacom, Time Warner and NBC Universal, among others, have been ongoing for months and could result in the launch of new online services later this year. Even better, Comcast subsidiary thePlatform confirmed that it would be providing the video infrastructure for Comcast’s forthcoming online service, according to a report published by The New York Times.
“The main point is that this is additive to the rich universe of online video,” wrote thePlatform CEO Ian Blaine in a blog. “It is good for consumers because they get access to more content in more places.” Moreover, it is “good for cable networks because it doesn’t put subscription fees at risk” and gives them the ability to deliver the experience their audiences “want and expect.”
Choosing the Best Screen
Though viewing of TV programs online remains a relatively small market today, it is growing rapidly and reaching new heights. “The American fascination with television and other video content is not easing up, as consumers keep turning to TV, Internet and mobile at record levels,” said Susan Whiting, Nielsen’s vice chair.
The average American watches more than 151 hours of TV per month, Nielsen reports. However, Americans who watch video over the Internet consume another three hours of online video per month, and those who use mobile video watch nearly four hours per month on phones and other devices.
“Viewers appear to be choosing the best screen available for their video consumption, weighing a variety of factors, including convenience, quality and access,” Whiting noted. “It…