ABC to Offer Four Shows Online for Free

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{"commentId":91346,"authorDomain":"KevinR"}

Free!?

I guess I won't have to buy anymore episodes off of iTunes.

{"commentId":91346,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"KevinR"}
    Reply#1 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:06 AM EDT
    {"commentId":91538,"authorDomain":"bmvaughn"}

    Non-portable with ads. Really, this might just cut into the broadcast market... not the iTMS/BT market.

    {"commentId":91538,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"bmvaughn"}
      #1.1 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:52 PM EDT
      Reply
      {"commentId":91372,"authorDomain":"media"}

      Well, for one thing, nothing here says they're going to be downloads, much less available on iTMS. And for another, it says they're ad-supported.

      The Doppelganger™ caught this detail when it was a rumor:

      New technology would be aimed at preventing viewers from fast-forwarding through commercials, in an effort to keep advertisers happy.

      So, if you want it ad-free, or on your iPod, you'll still be buying the show on iTunes.

      {"commentId":91372,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"media"}
      • 2 votes
      Reply#2 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:31 AM EDT
      {"commentId":91377,"authorDomain":"javelin"}

      Commercial free would be the value add that iTunes versions for sale would offer, no doubt.

      {"commentId":91377,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"javelin"}
        Reply#3 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:33 AM EDT
        {"commentId":91388,"authorDomain":"tommyw"}

        That and having the ability to download the show and watch it wherever...

        This will most likely stream.

        {"commentId":91388,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"tommyw"}
          Reply#4 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:39 AM EDT
          {"commentId":91419,"authorDomain":"thedreamcatcher"}

          So still no way for UK viewers to legally download Desperate Housewives for free, even if it's on the iTMS: we can only download content from the UK store.

          {"commentId":91419,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"thedreamcatcher"}
          • 1 vote
          Reply#5 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:02 AM EDT
          {"commentId":91420,"authorDomain":"kai"}

          That's odd... I wonder what Stevie Jobs had to say about this development, considering he's a strong voice at Disney now. Taking choice content away from the itms like that... odd.

          {"commentId":91420,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"kai"}
          • 1 vote
          Reply#6 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:03 AM EDT
          {"commentId":91471,"authorDomain":"bmvaughn"}

          This is simply a different price point. Now you get free online, ad-supported, non-mobile eps.

          {"commentId":91471,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"bmvaughn"}
            #6.1 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:55 AM EDT
            {"commentId":91748,"authorDomain":"rileyjt"}

            Very likely we will eventually see iTMS video that is add supported as well.

            {"commentId":91748,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"rileyjt"}
              #6.2 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 3:32 PM EDT
              Reply
              {"commentId":91437,"authorDomain":"scooterdman"}

              Here's a major consideration I think we are forgetting:

              Sure, we can "watch" Lost for free on the Disney web site, but will we be able to rewatch each episode frame-by-frame. Cuz if we can't...

              {"commentId":91437,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"scooterdman"}
              • 3 votes
              Reply#7 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:21 AM EDT
              {"commentId":91470,"authorDomain":"flaw"}

              Yes I think the key is that it will be streaming, which most likely means you can't skip the commercials, you can't bookmark where you last stopped watching, and you won't be able to watch it disconnected which is really the value of owning something that you can store locally.

              {"commentId":91470,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"flaw"}
              • 2 votes
              Reply#8 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:54 AM EDT
              {"commentId":91481,"authorDomain":"daftpunk"}

              Some pro video podcasts such as DLTV still have ads. They only thing I can see happening here is people cutting out the DRM and providing others with a way to do the same.

              {"commentId":91481,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"daftpunk"}
                Reply#9 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:58 AM EDT
                {"commentId":91522,"authorDomain":"skunkhair"}

                I think this is an incredible step in the right direction. ABC has mostly done right by being the first to offer shows via iTunes at a reasonable price and then now to offer it for free (whether it be streaming or downloadable) I gotta give them kudos for being the first major network to grasp and take hold of the digital market and offer shows when I want them. Big props to you ABC.

                {"commentId":91522,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"skunkhair"}
                • 5 votes
                Reply#10 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:36 PM EDT
                {"commentId":91648,"authorDomain":"saankiip"}

                When will corporations realise that people will pay if you give them add-free shows, when they want and where they want. They are using the same old TV paradigm - that's why Disney (and other media mogels) will ultimately fail online.

                {"commentId":91648,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"saankiip"}
                  Reply#11 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:29 PM EDT
                  {"commentId":91715,"authorDomain":"ssh"}

                  ABC/Disney already sells ad-free versions of these shows on iTunes. You can pick free ad supported streaming or $1.99 download-to-own from iTunes.

                  {"commentId":91715,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"ssh"}
                  • 1 vote
                  #11.1 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 3:10 PM EDT
                  {"commentId":91760,"authorDomain":"firefly41"}

                  Yes which is fine i suppose and ofcourse if available outside the US would actual make a difference.

                  If this is available everywhere, then it would be the first decent thing that has been done to prevent Tv Show piracy.

                  {"commentId":91760,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"firefly41"}
                    #11.2 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 3:41 PM EDT
                    {"commentId":91824,"authorDomain":"thedreamcatcher"}
                    it would be the first decent thing that has been done to prevent Tv Show piracy.

                    Exactly what everyone wants, right. No one here in the UK really wants to commit piracy when they download Lost/Desperate Housewives off LimeWire - they just do it because they're fanatics. But if everyone could download ad-supported programming for free, all across the world, piracy wouldn't exist, and the TV we watched wouldn't be governed by what side of the Atlantic we live on. The Internet was all about breaking those sorts of physical barriers.

                    {"commentId":91824,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"thedreamcatcher"}
                    • 1 vote
                    #11.3 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:23 PM EDT
                    {"commentId":92478,"authorDomain":"brianford"}
                    No one here in the UK really wants to commit piracy when they download Lost/Desperate Housewives off LimeWire - they just do it because they're fanatics. But if everyone could download ad-supported programming for free, all across the world, piracy wouldn't exist, and the TV we watched wouldn't be governed by what side of the Atlantic we live on.

                    That's what people in America kept saying about digital music, as well. Still, everytime some new from of (legal) digital music pops up, we get fans saying "Well, when you add -this- or take away -this- I'll stop pirating music."

                    People who still pirate music and movies deserve to get busted at this point.

                    I'm not saying the system is perfect but I -am- saying that we need to embrace "some" system if we ever hope to persuade them to move to a better one.

                    As for the UK, there's little I can do other than to say that pirating something is "not" an acceptable solution. (Nor will it bring about an acceptable solution.)

                    {"commentId":92478,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"brianford"}
                    • 1 vote
                    #11.4 - Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:31 AM EDT
                    Reply
                    {"commentId":91724,"authorDomain":"alreddawg19"}

                    Why won't they let it be portable with ads? I am fine with ads as long as I can put them on my iPod.....

                    {"commentId":91724,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"alreddawg19"}
                      Reply#12 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 3:18 PM EDT
                      {"commentId":91768,"authorDomain":"rileyjt"}

                      Baby steps... they will get there eventually, its just going to take a while. Having online, ad supported shows is a first step. If ABC can establish a viable business model with that, then everyone else will follow and start moving forward with more flexible systems.

                      I currently watch most of my Lost and Invasion episodes from torrents that are ad-free and hassle free to download and watch. I'd happily switch to ad-supported official versions though so long as they are still easy to download and watch. If they are streamed and work as poorly as most streamed video that I have seen, forget about it.

                      The main thing with this type of viewing though is that they run the risk of completely killing off their DVD sales of these shows if they make them widely available and portable. Not to mention, ad revenue is collected based on their viewership - if they can't measure how often you view the ads, they don't really know how much to charge for them.

                      {"commentId":91768,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"rileyjt"}
                        #12.1 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 3:45 PM EDT
                        Reply
                        {"commentId":91809,"authorDomain":"djksimon"}

                        Standard def, DRM, forced ads... doesn't sound attractive to me.

                        {"commentId":91809,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"djksimon"}
                          Reply#13 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:17 PM EDT
                          {"commentId":91851,"authorDomain":"bmvaughn"}

                          That's why you're in the demo of the folks that have an HD-DVR and they'll aim at you with product placement in shows. For instance, Gabrielle Solis' Maserati on DH, or the Presidential M&Ms on CiC.

                          {"commentId":91851,"threadId":"11131","contentId":"162010","authorDomain":"bmvaughn"}
                            #13.1 - Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:49 PM EDT
                            Reply
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