New York - Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX) HBO cable TV network plans to offer its subscribers free access to some of its movies and original programming online, beginning with a pilot set to launch this week in Wisconsin, The New York Times reported. The offering will require users to first download an application for viewing the content, which will expire in four weeks and will not be transferable to portable devices, at least initially.

At launch, the service will offer about 400 hours of programming each month.

"There are a lot of people, particularly young people, who are watching TV through the PC. We wanted to create a product for them," HBO co-president Eric Kessler told The Times.

After the tests in Wisconsin, HBO is expected to gradually roll out the service to its 29 million subscribers.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/business/media/21hbo.html