• WSJ, Tuesday, November 8, 2005 12 PM

In yet the latest evidence that broadcasters are thinking imaginatively--some might say desperately--about ways to reach viewers, CBS and NBC yesterday said they would allow individuals to order episodes of some of their top series for 99 cents each. CBS' deal is with Comcast Corp., the country's largest cable-TV provider, while NBC has signed with News Corp.'s DirecTV, a satellite provider. The announcements represent a significant shift away from the traditional TV prime-time model, an acknowledgement that technology is not only making time-shifting possible but also, increasingly, an option that *must* be offered audiences. Speaking about the CBS pact, Brian Roberts, CEO of Comcast, said, "I think the floodgates have opened." While the CBS programs offered on an on-demand basis will have commercials, the NBC offerings will not, raising additional questions about how this still-developing distribution model will play out. "Whenever you're moving forward the wheel always squeaks a little," said David Zaslav, president of NBC Universal Cable.

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