Comcast, Direct TV offer shows for fee
 

Comcast Corp. and Direct TV Group Inc. plan to start selling top-rated TV shows through an on-demand service to help increase revenue and add features. Cable provider Comcast partnered with Viacom Inc.'s CBS to sell shows, the companies said in a statement Monday. Satellite-TV provider Direct TV also announced that it would offer commercial-free shows from NBC Universal's NBC network and its USA, SCI FI and Bravo cable channels.

Comcast and Direct TV will charge 99 cents for each show within hours after it is broadcast. Direct TV is starting its service this month with six series including "Law & Order: SVU," "The Office," "Monk" and "Surface." Comcast will offer four CBS series beginning in January, including "Survivor" and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation." "This basically expands the scope of content that DVR customers can access," Direct TV spokesman Bob Marsocci said, referring to clients who pay extra for digital video recorders.

"This gives them another opportunity or avenue for content." Direct TV last week posted its second consecutive quarterly profit as it convinced clients to pay more each month for digital recorders and additional services. The NBC Universal programs will be available with the new Direct TV Plus digital video recorder and on pay-per-view. The Direct TV Plus recorder will be available at retailers including Best Buy and Circuit City, Direct TV said.

CBS's "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" is the top-rated show on TV. ABC's "Desperate Housewives" is second and CBS's "Without A Trace" is ranked third. "Law and Order: SVU" is NBC's top-ranked show in 11th place. Direct TV is in talks with other broadcast networks to make similar agreements, Marsocci said. Direct TV will also offer "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "Battlestar Galactica."

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