Discovery To Join Comcast's Online Video Trial

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Comcast Corp. said Thursday Discovery Channel will be participating in its online video trial, the 24th network to agree to make its programs available over the Internet for paying subscribers of the cable TV operator.

Philadelphia-based Comcast, the nation's largest cable company, has embarked on a national trial of 5,000 households to test online access to cable TV and other shows that mostly were not available over the Internet.

The initiative, called "On Demand Online" by Comcast and "TV Everywhere" by Time Warner Inc., seeks to capitalize on the popularity of online TV viewing and the movement of content to various mobile devices while preserving the fees cable pays to programmers.

Discovery's content will be available starting this week to Comcast households participating in the trial. It includes the fourth season of Man vs. Wild and the premiere of a series called Swords. Both will be available online the day after they air over cable.

Comcast's online video trial started last month. Other networks participating include HBO, TNT, TBS, Starz, Cinemax, Food Network and CBS.

Shares of Silver Spring, Md.-based Discovery Communications Inc., the parent of Discovery Channel, were down 33 cents to $24.80 in afternoon trading. Comcast was unchanged at $14.85.