ABC Hooks Up With AOL to Provide Free TV - WSJ

Disney-owned ABC became the last of the major networks to offer up its TV programming for free through Time Warner-owned web portal AOL, the Wall Street Journal reported. ABC shows will be available beginning Thursday. CBS already provides free streaming of its content through AOL and GE-owned NBC, and News Corp.-owned Fox have a plan in place to provide AOL their content for free, though actual viewing won't begin until October. ABC was the first of the major networks to offer up its TV programing free on its own web site, beginning last May. ABC's decision comes days before its new Fall viewing season begins; shows such as Grey's Anatomy will be available one day after they air, with approximately four episodes of each show available for streaming at any given time. The companies will share the ad revenues the online viewing generates; precise terms weren't available.

Sources: Wall Street Journal
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Stocks/ETFs to watch: DIS, TWX. Competitors: GE, NWS, CBS. ETFs: VCR, PBS, PEJ
Earnings call transcript: Walt Disney F3Q07 • Time Warner Q2 2007

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