From CNN Interactive Writer Kristin Lemmerman

ATLANTA (CNN) -- Many network and cable television programs are plugging into the World Wide Web as way to help their viewers become part of the show. You can suggest segment ideas on Dave Letterman's "Late Night" site, play games at the site for the cable network Comedy Central, and rehash opinions of Dana Scully and Fox Mulder on the "X-Files" site.

Now, "People's Court" has joined the interactive fray as well. The "People's Court" Web site, launched to coincide with the arrival of former New York Mayor Ed Koch as the show's new judge, hopes to capitalize on the current national fascination with the courtroom.

Site is multi-interactive

The site promises true interaction with the TV program. First, the show is Webcast live during taping, using the VXtreme plug-in for streaming video. As a result, plugged-in viewers get to watch the show a full week before it appears on the air. Visitors to the site can also examine the evidence entered for each court case via JPEG pictures and QuickTime or AVI video clips.

Planned chat rooms will allow "People's Court" fans to discuss the cases, 24 hours a day.

Visitors also are encouraged to cast their vote for either the defendant or the plaintiff in the cases heard before Koch's bench. Jim Bannister of Warner Bros. Online said the votes in each case will be tallied and compared with the decision Koch makes; regular voters can win prizes for matching Koch's decision the most often.

The Web site "is like having a very, very large studio audience," Bannister said. "Somebody could enjoy themselves by dealing with the online promotional portion alone."

Targets middle America

While previous show sites often courted the technologically inclined, "People's Court" targets the same audience as it has on the air -- a "highly mainstream" one, said Jim Moloshok, the senior vice president of Warner Bros. Online.

The "People's Court" audience represents the one with "the largest potential to grow in online use," Moloshok said.

To help drive average, non-techie people to the site, People's Court is preparing to close a deal with a "major independent service provider" -- Moloshok wouldn't say which -- to be the official ISP for "People's Court." As part of the deal, the show will send out copies of the new Internet Explorer 4.0 browser on disk to anyone who asks.

Most of country will receive show

On television, the new "People's Court" will air every weekday on 150 stations across the United States, which cover some 90 percent of the broadcast market altogether.

While most of the country will have access to the TV show, anybody with a Web browser will be able to watch the show on the Web. Look for two new shows to air every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Warner Bros. Online hopes the show will prove as popular as its recent Kevin Costner Webcast. In the spirit of drawing the masses online, look for a similar, interactive "Love Connection" on the Web next year.