Disney to Make 4 ABC Shows Free Online

[Janice]

Disney to Make 4 ABC Shows Free Online


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BURBANK, Calif. (AP) - The Walt Disney Co. said Monday its TV group plans to offer four ABC prime-time shows including "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" online for free beginning in May.

The offerings will also include current episodes of "Commander in Chief," as well as the entire season of "Alias," and will be available through June.

The shows, being offered by the Disney-ABC Television Group, will be supported by advertisers, including AT&T Inc., Ford Motor Co., Procter & Gamble Co., Toyota Motor Corp.and Unilever PLC, among others.

The TV group also said it will launch a broadband channel for soap opera viewers on April 17, available to Verizon Communications Inc. consumer broadband customers, called Soapnetic. Shares of Walt Disney Co. rose 12 cents to $27.65 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

[Raisingdad2004]

I wonder how they will block people from outside the US, AOL's service uses its own software aswell as location checks but location checks alone won't work.

Maybe they will suprise us and make them availible to every one? It might be part of the deal signed with non-US stations.

[db108108]

This is great news, so long as the episodes aren't too far behind. Wednesday has become a real sore point for me with both The Amazing Race and Lost airing there... thank god Veronica Mars moves to Tuesdays starting tonight

[Raisingdad2004]

They will be up a day after they air - still no word on how ABC will combat foreign users - they have to, advertisers are not paying for spots to be see in the UK where they do not even operate and Buena Vista have existing contracts with broadcasters to air the show exclusively.

[Superstar]

I was expecting this since Disney announced recently that Disney shows would be offered on a free stream as well.