Verizon Wireless Ups Cell Phone TV Game

Verizon Wireless says by the end of March its cell phone subscribers will be able to choose from CBS, NBC, Fox, MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon.

Each of the networks will have a special made-for-cell-phones channel that will include hits such as CBS’ CSI and Survivor, NBC’s Heroes, Fox’s 24 and Prison Break, as well as shows from Jay Leno, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien and Jon Stewart, USA Today reported.

Verizon’s service will also run news clips and sports along with the other programs. Sprint and Cingular already offer news and sports television to cell phone subscribers.

Viewership for network TV is in steady decline and this shows that more people are going to be watching video, said Digital Media analyst Phil Leigh. They watched more video on PCs in 2006 with YouTube, and now in 2007, they’ll be watching on cell phones.

To run the new high-tech television service, Verizon is selling two new phones from LG and Samsung that come with a 2-inch LCD screen.