NTV to Begin Pay-Per-View Service Via Internet in Oct.

Jul. 19–TOKYO — Nippon Television Network Corp. said Tuesday it will kick off pay-per-view services via the Internet on an on-demand basis in October.

For the first service of its kind by a TV broadcaster, some 180,000 news, drama and other programs in the archives will be reedited into 3 to 15 minute formats, NTV said, adding it has yet to decide how much it will charge viewers for downloading programs.

The broadcaster expects the number of subscribers to the new service to top 1 million soon after its launch.

The integration of broadcasting and communications services is expected to affect other TV stations.

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