Cable TV shows step closer to Internet

PHILADELPHIA —- Time Warner Inc. and Comcast Corp. on Wednesday took concrete steps to bring cable TV shows to the Internet —- but only for paying cable subscribers.

In a nod that migration of content viewing is rapidly moving online and to the mobile phone, Time Warner, one of the world’s largest entertainment companies, and Comcast, the nation’s largest cable operator, said they’ll start online video trials nationally in July.

“It’s clearly something demanded by consumers,” said Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes. “If this approach gets adopted … it will go past broadcast viewing (online), which is basically three networks on Hulu.”

The test will involve 5,000 Comcast customers who will get access to Turner Broadcasting System Inc.’s TNT and TBS cable networks. Turner is a unit of Time Warner.

Turner Broadcasting System spokeswoman Misty Skedgell said it’s not clear yet, but likely, that some of the 5,000 Comcast customers who will be part of the test will be in Atlanta because the test is a nationwide sampling.

She said all the TNT and TBS programs that will be made available online in the Comcast test area already are available online but only at the TNT and TBS Web sites. TNT and TBS make such shows as “The Closer” and “Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns.”

Staff writer Jeffry Scott contributed to this article.