ABC to Offer Ad-Supported TV Show Downloads

In order to expand its content and advertising presence online, ABC has announced that it will offer its hit television shows to users via ABC.com. Bob Iger, President and Chief Executive Office of the Walt Disney Company outlined the network’s plans at the Bear Sterns Media 2006 Conference in Palm Beach, Florida. My ABC, which has not been launched yet, will offer users the ability to download shows for free.

According to Adage, Iger announced at the Bear Sterns Conference this week, “Mike Shaw [ABC’s president ad sales and marketing] announced today we are going to take a product to market in May. Viewers will have the ability to access shows such as ‘Lost,’ ‘Desperate Housewives’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ on ABC.com. They will be ad supported, free to the consumer.” The advertisements that run with the videos, however, may not be the same ads that appear with the shows’ TV broadcasts.

ABC, like NBC, already sells shows through Apple’s iTunes store for $1.99 each. CBS has a deal to offer user shows through Comcast’s video-on-demand platform.

http://www.adotas.com/2006/03/abc-to...how-downloads/