ABC puts hit series online for free thanks to advertising
Disney productions such as “Lost,“ „Desperate Housewives,“ and „Grey’s Anatomy“ are expected to be available for download starting in May.
The US television channel ABC is planning a portal called My ABC, from which consumers can download TV shows from Disney free of charge thanks to advertising. Productions such as "Lost", "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy" will be available for download from May, as Adage.com reports. The commercials contained therein are not necessarily the same as those that flicker across the screen during television broadcasts. Disney wants to test out various business models for online access to programs, including advertising financing or subscriptions. According to Disney CEO Robert Iger, the advertising industry will not be excluded. ABC programs can already be obtained via Apple iTunes and iPod platforms for a fee of 1.99 dollars. Nevertheless, according to Adage, the ratings of the corresponding television programs have not yet fallen. Corresponding fears had been expressed in the advertising scene.
