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Comcast Puts Cable Shows Online This Year

Comcast subscribers will be able to watch series such as HBO's "Entourage" on their computers by the end of the year without paying a dime extra. Comcast will be the first cable TV operator to unlock online access to a slate of valuable cable programs. CEO Brian Roberts showed off the new service at the Web 2.0 Summit this week, likening it to "video on demand on steroids."

Access will be carefully guarded: subscribers can initially watch shows and movies only on their home computers after being verified by Comcast. The online viewing will be restricted to those who also get Internet service through Comcast, not through competitors like phone companies.

Comcast executives say cable networks, such as HBO and AMC, will decide how much to put online. Some will include the current season's episodes only, while others could include archives. The national rollout of the service, initially called "On Demand Online," comes months after Comcast announced partnerships with 24 cable TV networks and broadcasters. Similar plans are in the works at Time Warner Cable, Verizon and DirecTV.

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Read the whole story at The Hollywood Reporter »

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