• by Wayne Friedman , August 16, 2006

CBS is stepping up its broadband offerings. It's giving Internet users its big network prime-time programs, ad-supported and free, through innertube, its new broadband area.

"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "CSI: Miami," "CSI: NY," "Jericho," "NCIS," "Numb3rs" and "Survivor" will be offered--all with limited commercial interruption. A CBS spokeswoman says this means fewer ads will run, versus the broadcast network. That tactic is similar to what other TV networks do online.

Roughly three commercials per episode will be streamed along with the program in a mix of 10-, 15- or 30-second spots. So far, no major advertiser has taken any big position for any of these prime-time shows.

The shows will be available on innertube the day after their prime-time airing.

At launch this past May, CBS said innertube would initially offer more fringe CBS shows and Web-only exclusive fare. Current innertube offerings include Web-exclusive series "InTurn," "Animate This!" and the five-day-a-week talk show "House Calls"--a companion show to CBS' popular summer prime-time series "Big Brother: All-Stars." CBS is also offering full episodes of "Big Brother."

The day before, Fox announced it would offer movies and TV shows for a fee--$20 for new movies; $2 for TV shows--on its large and popular MySpace.com Internet site.