Comcast and Time Warner announce a partnership on the “TV Everywhere” initiative. Both companies have been leading proponents of the “authentication” online concept, intended to reinforce the pay-TV model by including access to programming delivered via the Internet as part of the monthly subscription.

But until now, they’ve taken different approaches. Time Warner' TV Everywhere envisions a decentralized authentication mechanism, which would allow consumers to log in to any number of participating sites to access content. Comcast’s On-Demand Online plan was to be available to the MSO’s subscribers only through the company’s own Fancast entertainment portal.

The first test of the new system is based on TV Everywhere with authentication on line. The trial will involve about 5,000 Comcast subscribers, and television shows from the Time Warner networks TNT and TBS.

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