TV stations offering free programming over the internet give consumers an alternative to cable television.

Walt Disney co. announced April 10 that it will make its most popular programs-including ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” and “Lost”-viewable online free for two months, washingtonpost.com reported April 11.

“This is a new medium, and it’s going to take over,” Phil Leigh, an analyst with research firm Inside Digital Media, told the publication. “Eventually, we’ll get all of our videos off the Internet.”

Another station moving toward online programming is Fox Broadcasting, which announced on April 13 that it’s popular prime-time programs-like “24” and “Prison Break”-will be available online as part of “a precedent-setting deal that shares revenue with its affiliate station group,” nytimes.com reported April 14.

Sting Appiah, a Howard University senior majoring in print journalism, said the move towards the Internet was a smart one.

“We’re talking about multi-billion dollar companies attempting to expand their viewers by making shows available online,” Appiah said.

Morgan State sophomore Raphael Waters said that while online TV is a good idea, he would, eventually, like to see cable television online.

“Watching these shows online would be-more convenient to the viewer who is trying to watch a program on [cable] television as well as work online,” said Waters, a telecommunications major.

The ability to download episodes of popular shows he normally wouldn’t have time to watch is another bonus for the high-speed Internet service that Appiah’s paying for.

Being able to “watch [these shows] at my leisure,” he said. “It’s basically TiVo for your computer.”