Comcast cable programming to be available online by year's end

Comcast announced Tuesday that its subscribers will be able to access cable programming online by the end of the year, as executives have hinted at repeatedly of late.  The on demand content will be in a "walled garden," accessible only to subscribers with a valid user ID and password.

Comcast Interactive's Karen Gilford, who made the announcement, told PC World any standard or subscription channel programming the customer is signed up for will be available through Comcast's Fancast video site. While the site will be free of charge initially, Gilford said a subscription plan could be rolled out in the future for the online video offering.

This is a huge development for online video content providers and publication platforms, as the breadth and depth of Comcast's offering, if it is as comprehensive as promised, will be one of, if not the most, attractive online video sites for consumers. The ability to get subscription channels such as HBO, Showtime, and premium sports offerings through an online service will be a powerful value-add, as frequent travelers and others will be able to access this content from and broadband connection.

If Comcast can bring the identical linear channel experience as cable to online video and couple it with archived video content from its network partners, Fancast could be the most complete online video site to date. While there are many questions and potential pain points this offering will need to address to get there, Comcast's provision of cable content in online video format could be a superior product.

This is also a big win, and big challenge, for online video platform and Comcast subsidiary thePlatform. It will play heavily in this integration.

Oh, and if it works well, don't expect it to remain free very long.

For more:
- see the PC World article here 

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