Although First-TV's emphasis is on Net-related subjects — not surprising, considering that it's owned by computer-magazine giant CMP Media — executive director Scott Bourne says the newborn site has been recruiting indie filmmakers to produce short clips on cyber and noncyber topics. ''We're trying to create a new medium here,'' he says. ''These filmmakers recognize that they don't have an outlet on the TNTs and NBCs of this world.'' For now, First-TV has one episodic show, Fresh Click — Life On Line, cohosted by Paul Schindler of the TV-syndicated Computer Chronicles. And unlike American Cybercast, First-TV has the technology to broadcast actual commercials — though Bourne too is exploring the idea of paid product placement.

Interestingly, both Myers and Bourne see their fledgling nets as cheap ways to leverage themselves onto, of all things, conventional TV. ''The cost of a whole year of The Spot doesn't even equal one hour of ER,'' says Myers, who plans to shop The Spot to production companies later this year. (It's coming out as a Simon & Schuster book in November.) Bourne says his ''most exciting'' prospect is getting Fresh Click licensed to traditional broadcast stations. That may take some salesmanship: After all, it's not as if these Web offerings attract anywhere near the number of viewers of, say, an NBC show. The Spot averages 40,000 hits a day, while Bourne anticipates Fresh Click will draw 50,000 devotees. With such modest numbers, imaginary network doesn't sound like much of a joke after all.

Originally posted Nov 08, 1996 Published in issue #352 Nov 08, 1996 Order article reprints
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