Zardon

Internet auction giant eBay Inc. and Sony Pictures Television plan to pipe an eBay-inspired TV show into U.S. living rooms in the second half of this year, an eBay spokesman said Thursday. Silicon Valley-based eBay and its partner — a unit of Japan’s Sony Corp. — have come up with an hour-long program that they will syndicate to local stations, a Sony Pictures Television spokesman said.

EBAY-TV WILL HAVE a magazine-style format that’s a cocktail of existing shows such as “Entertainment Tonight,” “Ripley’s Believe it or Not” and “Antiques Roadshow.” Live auctions are not seen as part of the programming.

Among other things, shows might focus on unique auction lots and profile quirky eBay sellers or buyers.

EBay-TV’s host will be Molly Pesce, formerly of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” hosted by Jon Stewart.

Stations that pick up the show are expected to earn a commission on all items sold through Web sites designed for the stations by eBay. The Web auctioneer will also pay $6 for every person who joins eBay via a television station Web site. Reuters