CBS to Air Classic Shows Online

CBS Interactive announced Thursday it will air classic U.S. television shows on CBS.com and across the 300 Web sites that comprise the CBS Audience Network.

The initial lineup includes full-length episodes of Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, MacGyver, Hawaii Five-O and Melrose Place, with more programs and clips to be added in the coming months.

The distribution of television classics across the CBS Audience Network follows the same open, non-exclusive strategy CBS has been using for its content online for the last nine months, the network said.

All content is ad-supported and free to the consumer.

CBS’s commitment and ability to move quickly and aggressively to monetize and distribute content online is awesome, Quincy Smith, president of CBS Interactive, said in a statement. With offerings in entertainment, news and sports, this is about (offering) what the user wants and staying focused around CBS content. Furthermore, meshing this content with the interactivity of the Web allows for more comprehensive experiences around each show — not simply a broadcast model.