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The broadcaster announced partnerships with a variety of online properties and video-sharing sites, including Brightcove, Joost, Veoh Networks, Sling Media, AOL, Microsoft and CNET Networks (publisher of News.com).
There will be a rotating list of CBS shows, such as CSI, Late Show with David Letterman, Survivor and CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, as well as some sports programming, available for sharing and viewing.
All content will be free to watch and supported by ads.
CBS said none of the deals are exclusive. "From a traditional media company's perspective, the object is to put your content on as many next-generation platforms as you can," said
Just last month,
CBS, which also partners with YouTube, is not looking to form another video portal, Smith said.
"We do think the world of the (NBC and News Corp.) joint venture, (but) we've always said, 'Why join exclusively with other media peers when you can actually remain independent?'" Smith said.
Several of the partner video sites are just beginning to build their professional content portfolios. The choice to go with unproven platforms like Joost and Sling, which aren't even live yet, demonstrates the "flexibility" of the partnership to make independent decisions and not have to wait for a committee to vote, according to Smith.
Joost is the online-video start-up from the creators of Skype and Kazaa. In February, it
Sling Media, known mostly for its Slingbox, a device that delivers television programming over the Web to a smart phone or PC,
CBS programming will also be available on major video portals such as AOL and MSN in long and short form. AOL users will be able to read about a CBS show and link directly to an episode without leaving the site.
Comcast and TV.com (owned by CNET Networks) will also feature some CBS programming on their sites.
See more CNET content tagged:
CBS Broadcasting Inc.,
Sling Media,
News Corp.,
America Online Inc.,
media company
Likewise, CBS is partnering with various portal sites and services to offer their content, rather than going NBC and trying to create a direct competitor to exclusively host its content. This is good because it doesn't rely on any one service; if Joost or Brightcove (theoretically) went under at some point, it doesn't really impose much on CBS, who has not made an exclusive investment into those services.
It also provides better for the consumer, because the consumer has a choice of services and yet can consume the same premium content.