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Discovery Communications Joins Comcast OnDemand Online Trial

First major move into long-form online video for non-fiction programming giant

By Claire Atkinson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/12/2009 11:08:00 AM

Discovery has been somewhat slow to the table. The company's main concern in making its material widely available online has been the risk of cannibalizing its existing business (which includes syndication) and upsetting the cable operators that provide its bread and butter.

Discovery has historically been close knit with the cable MSOs. Speaking at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in April, Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav said: "We're waiting to see if an economic model develops."

A Discovery spokeswoman declined to comment. A Comcast spokeswoman did not respond immediately for comment.

Separately, Zaslav is yet to make a pact with Hulu, the NBC Universal-News Corp.-Disney joint venture, which is also working to make TV content widely available online with advertiser support. Hulu grew out of a syndicated video venture within NBCU named NBBC, or the National Broadband Company, which Zaslav helped launch in 2007 as NBCU's president of cable.

In July, CBS became the first broadcast network to join the Comcast trial service, which requires users to authenticate themselves as paying cable subscribers. Time Warner's HBO and Starz Entertainment are partners in the trial. Other networks involved include Time Warner's TNT and TBS along with Rainbow Media, Scripps Networks, A&E Television Networks and BBC America.

Comcast expects to launch On Demand Online nationwide in the fourth quarter of 2009, if trials are successful. Viewers in Comcast's footprint will be able to access the material via Comcast.net or Fancast.

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