With a mind to bring broadband to a narrowband world, Lycos Inc. Tuesday launched the first programmed video network from a major portal, providing free, streaming content from multiple sources.

The portal giant's Lycos TV is an interactive, multi-channel video tool that lets users choose what they want to watch, when they want to watch it without commercial interruptions, on a pop-up player.

Upon roll-out, video channels include five music video channels running Rock/Metal, Alternative, R&B/Rap, Pop/Dance and Country videos; three animation channels; and four separate channels dedicated to extreme sports, movie trailers, soap operas and comedy video content. Additional channels will be offered in the coming months.

Lycos hopes users will ultimately be able to interact with the content they're watching, participate in integrated content like chats, make related purchases or move to another site in the Lycos Network.

The new device is powered by Vidnet.com, a division of Entertainment Boulevard Inc. Vidnet provides entertainment video including music videos, movie trailers and sports programs. In addition to music videos, viewers can read news and reviews and get a look at how their favorite videos are made in Vidnet's "Backstage" segments. Other program content providers at launch include Blastro, Lycos's Animation Express, Mondomedia, Romp.com and WireBreak.

Mark Stoever, vice president of emerging destinations for Lycos, said the possibilitites of unique content are "practically endless."

"For example, we can provide thousands of channels, or lost episodes of sitcoms from the 60's, on demand -- traditional television can't do that. Lycos TV is like the next generation cable channel, a new model for distributing video content."

Lycos made the announcement amid a strong industry buzz from Terra Networks, who has been shamelessly hinting the strong possibility of a merger of the two network behemoths.

A deal, which would be valued at more than $10 billion, would bring together Terra's almost two million Spanish and Portuguese-speaking subscribers and Lycos's online programming to create one of the world's top four Internet companies.

Though Lycos is reluctant to discuss the supposed merger, Terra, a subsidiary of giant Spanish telco Telefonica, has said it could happen after Tuesday's market close.