NBC Universal said on Wednesday it will offer episodes of some of its new prime-time shows for free online viewing on personal computers in a bid to build an audience for its fall schedule.

[TAG-TEC]NBC[/TAG-TEC] will stream the first four episodes of comedies “30 Rock” and “Twenty Good Years,” and the first eight episodes of dramas “Kidnapped,” “Friday Night Lights,” “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” and “Heroes” on its ad-supported broadband player at NBC.com.

Each episode will appear on the site after it airs on NBC and will be available for a week, said Jeff Gaspin, president of NBC Universal Cable Entertainment, Digital Content and Cross-Network Strategy.

“We are looking to reach as many people as possible and to get as much sampling (of shows) as possible for the new series,” Gaspin said on Wednesday. “This is an experiment with us. We are just committing through November sweeps now.”

NBC.com also will host live blogs with the creators, producers or cast for every show following its premiere on NBC, which is owned by General Electric Co..
A high-resolution, large-format version of NBC’s broadband player, called NBC/24, will relaunch on October 1.