CBS Pushes Threshold Online

Add "scripted series programming" to the list of CBS.com's offerings. Starting Nov. 2, visitors to the site will be able to stream the complete third episode of Threshold without commercials. The Nov. 4 and Nov. 11 episodes will be posted to the site five days after they are first broadcast. The episodes will remain on the site for two days.

“We continue to seek and identify new ways in which traditional media and new media can work together to help each other's respective businesses,” said Nancy Tellem, president of the CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group. “The goal here is to recruit new viewers to Threshold, help existing viewers catch up if they've missed some episodes and drive more traffic to CBS.com.”

The move is the latest by a network that has stepped up its online component aggressively in 2005. Earlier this year, CBS began streaming free news video clips, as well as behind-the-scenes clips for prime time programs like Survivor and Amazing Race. “This marks another exciting step forward as we continue to expand our content franchises to broadband,” said Larry Kramer, president, CBS Digital Media. “Threshold is an exciting new drama with a compelling mystery component that lends itself to Internet audience appeal.”

The program is also doing well in the ratings. Through the first six weeks of the new season it ranks No. 1 in its Friday 9-10 PM time slot among adults 25-54 (averaging a 3.0/08). In the slot, the show ranks second among total viewers (averaging almost 8 million) and adults 18-49 (2.2/07).