Skype cofounder Janus Friis told Danish financial newspaper Boersen that an ad-supported free internet TV service is in the works.

The web TV project, being planned by founders of file-swapping service KaZaA and internet phone program Skype, is code-named Venice and will soon - within a month or two - begin providing TV programs to broadband consumers, reports Reuters. "This is a system where people with professional content can put it out (online). And that can be anybody," Friis is quoted as saying.

He said he has "a lot of people" negotiating with TV production companies worldwide, adding, "We don't want any more lawsuits" - a reference to KaZaA, which was used by people to illegally share copyrighted songs.