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Comcast Corp.'s NBCUniversal said Thursday it will launch a comedy-focused subscription video service for $3.99 a month featuring content from the likes of Jimmy Fallon and other talent.

The new on-demand streaming service, which will be called Seeso, will be available widely in January. It was developed in a ten-month sprint led by NBCUniversal Executive Vice President Evan Shapiro. At an event in New York, Mr. Shapiro emphasized that the service is meant to serve a "big niche."

NBCUniversal has been aggressively paving a digital path for itself as its TV networks have come under pressure. The company recently invested in new-media players BuzzFeed and Vox.

NBCUniversal's new service will enter a market crowded with streaming offerings from the likes of Netflix Inc., Hulu and Dish Network Corp.'s Sling TV. Many other media companies, including Time Warner Inc.'s HBO, CBS Corp., and Viacom Inc.'s Nickelodeon, have launched subscription online services for their networks.

In March, The Wall Street Journal reported Comcast was developing the comedy streaming service.

Beyond Mr. Fallon's "Tonight Show," Seeso will include programming from comedian Seth Meyers, shows like "30 Rock" and "Parks and Recreation," and all of the "Saturday Night Live" library. It will also include three to five films a month plus a library of all the Monty Python movies, and live streamed comedy concerts once a month, the company said.

In addition, NBCUniversal will offer original series through Seeso. Mr. Shapiro scoured both the traditional television world and the Web for the talent that will star in and produce originals.

Write to Shalini Ramachandran at shalini.ramachandran@wsj.com

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 15, 2015 11:05 ET (15:05 GMT)

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