CBS intends to amp up its online efforts. At least, that's what Les Moonves, network president, told the crowd this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
"There's no such thing
as old or new media anymore; we're just media," he said, according to United Press International. "Whether 'programming' means 'CSI' or 'C++,' we're all playing on the same big digital field."
Moonves announced a slew of initiatives, including a new deal to bring the "Star Trek" franchise to virtual reality site Second Life. As described by The Wall Street Journal, that arrangement
will involve creating a simulated version of the Starship Enterprise on the site.
The CBS exec additionally touted the benefits of free online content. As he said at a Goldman Sachs conference last September, CBS increased its revenue from Webcasts of the NCAA tournament 18fold--from $250,000
to $4.5 million--when it moved from an online subscription model to an ad-supported one.
CBS also plans soon to start testing a SlingBox service that lets users share video clips from TV
shows--even though doing so may well violate the network's copyright. ''If somebody spends the time to take 20 clips from 'CSI Miami,' I think that's wonderful,'' Moonves told The Associated Press.
''That only makes him more involved with my show and want to come to CBS on Monday night and watch my show."
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