Yesterday we noted that HBO and Cinemax were joining Comcast and Time Warner’s “TV Everywhere,” project, an effort that will see some of the two channels' shows and movies made available over the Web to Comcast subscribers.
Now, broadcast network CBS is jumping in, adding some of its shows to the lineup. This is of particular interest because CBS is the one network that’s still not involved in Hulu, the joint venture that now includes NBC Universal, News Corp (FOX), and Disney (ABC). The strategy of the Comcast venture - limiting access to existing cable customers - is markedly different than that of Hulu, who makes its content available for free on an ad-supported basis to all (in the US).
Does CBS’ participation mean that it doesn’t believe in the Hulu model? Not necessarily – the network already makes some of its shows available for free on TV.com, and CBS Interactive CEO Quincy Smith said in a statement that “CBS’s strategy has always been about open, non-exclusive distribution of our content in a consumer friendly way.” In other words, you can expect to see CBS shows on a variety of online services in different formats.