HBO to offer True Blood, Entourage online

DIGITAL: Series free for subscribers only on Comcast sites

By Jennifer Netherby -- Video Business, 7/13/2009

JUNE 13 | DIGITAL: HBO, which has kept tight control over what content it offers online, announced today that it will stream True Blood, Hung, Entourage and other series online for free to subscribers as part of Comcast’s On Demand Online trial set to begin this summer.

HBO and Cinemax will offer 750 hours of TV and movie content to subscribers online through Comcast.net and Fancast.com at no additional cost, with additional content added over time. Comcast announced last month it was joining with Time Warner Inc. on its “TV Everywhere” initiative to test offering cable content online to subscribers. The trial will allow 5,000 subscribers across the country to watch cable programming online at no additional cost. Comcast said it plans to test authentication technology, allowing only subscribers to watch the same programming they get on the TV through different sites online.

HBO joins Starz, Time Warner networks TNT and TBS in offering content online.

HBO and Cinemax also will offer Transformers, The Dark Knight and other major films online.

HBO tested online rental downloads last year in select markets and has offered downloads of older TV shows through iTunes, but has kept much of its content offline.