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Byline: David Kronke Television Critic

Given the proliferation of big-screen high-definition TVs with crisper images, it may seem odd that an increasing number of viewers are opting to watch their favorite shows on the smaller screens of their computers.

Yet, according to a new study by the Conference Board's Consumer Internet Barometer, one out of every 10 people who go online watch television beyond the viral minutiae of YouTube -- video news reports and episodes of TV series.

``Viewers watching online appreciate the portability of their computers and the opportunity to watch what they want, anytime, anywhere,'' says Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board Consumer Research Center. ``This is the tip of the iceberg, a trend likely to grow.''

And though only a quarter of those watching TV online are watching entire episodes of missed broadcasts, the networks are nonetheless happy to oblige these online browsers. ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox and several cable channels offer online episodes of their series.

Ironically, only The CW -- the network with the youngest audiences, who spend the most time trolling the Web -- has yet to avail itself of the new broadband technology.

At ABC.com, the network's biggest hits -- ``Desperate Housewives,'' ``Grey's Anatomy'' and ``Lost'' -- are available online, as well as episodes of several new shows, such as ``Ugly Betty'' and ``The Nine.'' Unlike other networks, ABC offers multiple episodes of some series (elsewhere, most are only available for a week). From the beginning of the season through early November, viewing of 19 million episodes has been initiated online.

How decisions are made

Albert Cheng, executive vice president of digital media for the Disney-ABC Television Group, says, ``Many factors are considered when we make decisions about what episodes will live (online). It's a combination of increased exposure for a new show and enabling fans to catch up if they've missed episodes on broadcast TV of some of our more established, hit series.''

Visitors to CBS.com can check out all three ``CSIs,'' ``Jericho,'' ``Survivor: Cook Islands'' ``NCIS,'' ``Numb3rs,'' ``How I Met Your Mother'' and all of its new series (as well as never-aired episodes of the canceled drama ``Smith'') at its broadband site innertube. Innertube also offers online-only programming, such as ``The Papdits,'' a comedy series from one of the screenwriters of ``Borat,'' and short reality shows such as ``InTurn,'' in which contestants vie for roles on the soap opera ``As the World Turns.'' (On Thanksgiving, episodes of ``InTurn'' ran in place of ``ATWT'' on the network.)

``Jericho'' is the network's most-watched show online, followed by ``Survivor'' and ``CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,'' according to CBS spokesman Chris Ender. ``The CBS audience tends to be older, so we feel that appealing to younger Internet viewers creates more exposure for the network.''

NBC.com offers all of its new series, as well as unseen episodes concluding the story line of its canceled serialized drama, ``Kidnapped,'' and ``Las Vegas'' and ``Scrubs,'' which both recently returned to the air. Brief recaps of episodes of many shows are also available, as well as all manner of short films, including behind-the-scenes glimpses of its series. It also offers the site dotcomedy.com, dedicated solely to short comic films. Through early November, NBC had lured more than 10 million online viewers to get a taste of its new shows.

Sampling the offerings

``Any opportunity you give potential viewers to sample content ultimately helps,'' says Jeff Gaspin, president of NBC Universal Cable entertainment/digital content and cross network strategy. ``Certain platforms that are new tend to attract early adapters, who tend to be trendsetters and help create buzz. `The Office' breaking out on iPod (two years ago) is an example. Trendsetters pass information around frequently. They might say, `I just saw a great show on iTunes that's on NBC; check it out.' ''

At MySpace.com/fox, viewers can see the latest episodes of ``Standoff,'' ``Prison Break,'' ``Bones,'' ``The O.C.,'' ``American Dad'' and the final episodes resolving the mystery behind the recently canceled serialized drama ``Vanished.''

No loss of TV viewers

The Conference Board's Franco points out that while viewers have begun watching programs online, the trend hasn't affected their traditional viewing habits -- good news for the networks. However, a study in England recently found that a third of British Internet users watch less TV once they have broadband.

``I think (offering episodes online is) a smart move -- you've got to stretch out and reach the consumer via all means,'' she adds. ``It's still a growing phenomenon; when the networks get their content across, they'll build up viewership.''

NBC's Gaspin, while conceding that there's no way to quantitatively prove that viewers watching online are herded toward TV broadcasts, notes, ``You can only look at the aggregate numbers. `Heroes' grows from week to week. The online numbers are additive and working in conjunction with the broadcast.'' Recently, ``Heroes'' -- NBC's new breakout hit this season -- posted a gain of a million viewers from one week to the next.

Likewise, CBS' Ender points to ``Jericho's'' online phenomenon as fueling its broadcast success.

``It's an interesting example,'' he says. ``It's a show in which critical response was not favorable in the fall preview stories. There was not a groundswell of support. We recognized that early on and took an unconventional approach to marketing. We put it on the Internet. We screened it at ComiCon and let bloggers see it. We didn't go the road of the traditional media. We reached beyond them directly to the viewer online.''

Ender points out that even avid viewers of network series only see, on average, two out of four episodes. ``And that's the committed fan. Online, we're offering more opportunities for viewers to engage with the programming. They can catch up with the show, and there are more opportunities to reach first-time viewers.''

``We're very early in our learning curve in the digital world, but we're all agreed that the goal is to get more eyeballs to the content,'' Ender says. ``We need to build this as a marketplace -- then, let's talk.''

Gaspin concurs: ``We have many constituents we deal with. But we believe in the promotional value in this, and we really focus on the value that it can bring attention to these new shows, or shows switching time slots.''

Perhaps surprisingly, the study found that more people watching TV online are watching news video (62 percent) than entertainment programming (50 percent). On this past Election Day, for example, there was 50 percent more online traffic at TV-news Web sites than there was during the 2004 presidential election.

``I do think, in the future, perhaps it will not be so heavily news-favored,'' Franco says. ``We could begin to see other generations coming on board beyond the higher-usage under-45 population. The increase in content, as well as the type of content, will create a greater incentive to use both mediums.''

And perhaps online viewing will give the networks added insights into their audience's predilections. As opposed to TV ratings, which can be somewhat vague as to when viewers tune out of a show, online information gives the networks fairly precise information about when they log off.

``We have added opportunities to learn about our audience,'' Ender says. ``We'll know how long our programming engages viewers. We'll learn about our viewers' habits. One measurement we study is how long viewers remain online.''

Ultimately, how viewers respond to programming online may have an impact on what makes it on the air.

``When we look at programming now, we think about that 360-degree approach -- how does it play to other platforms?'' Gaspin notes, adding that shows with a premise that offers additional content that could lure viewers -- for example, ``Heroes'' offers an online graphic novel that has attracted more than a million fans -- will be increasingly valuable.

``Our strategy is to pay attention to all these platforms,'' he says. ``That's a vital part of our future with our shows. While that's not right now an official requirement, ultimately it becomes one.''

David Kronke, [phone]

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What you need to know about downloading

Some outlets (though not the broadcast networks' sites) allow viewers to download programming into their computer to watch whenever they want, even if they're not online. Some, such as iTunes, charge a nominal fee to download TV programming.

If you go to the networks' sites, you can watch streaming video of several series, though you can't save it on your computer. Some networks offer the chance to adjust the size of the image -- for example, at ABC.com, the image can be expanded to about two-thirds your screen size with no loss of clarity. At CBS' innertube, the image can be expanded to full screen, though it does become somewhat fuzzy.

Since personal computer screens measure up to 24 inches these days, you may not mistake the experience for an HDTV plasma screen, but you won't need to squint, either.

Be warned: Not all computers -- and not all high-speed connections -- are equal. Apple computers feature QuickTime, a media playing program that is not compatible with all online films. You'll have to download another program to watch, say, CBS. Cable connections are generally faster than DSL, which is not yet universally available. And if you, like me, live on the outer fringes of DSL availability, then you're quite likely to experience a lot of glitches and freeze-frames when watching lengthy programs. (And if you're still using dial-up, forget it.)

-- D.K.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Prime-time PC

Network TV makes its move to your computer

(2) no caption (man looking at his laptop)

(3) ``Jericho,'' starring Skeet Ulrich, is CBS' most-watched program online. CBS viewers tend to be older, so online offerings are a way to attract younger watchers.

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What you need to know about downloading (see text)