ABC goes live for Super Tuesday

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 06:59:30 -0500

If you can't get enough politics for today's Super Tuesday Primary race, try ABC's online coverage. ABC is taking the oh-so-brave move and is actually putting its coverage of the primaries online for the day. The press release breathlessly compared FDRs famous fireside radio chats and the first TV debates between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon to today when ABC is "bringing political content to Americans in a never-before-explored format."

Not so sure about the never-before-explored format. Sadly, this morning the service was running news items about athletic moms, but the move to go live on the 'Net is again evidence of the inexorable shift of video to online. While for ABC it is a one-day-only service, as a general proposition it will be pre-recorded material which will go online sitting in servers waiting to be requested. in that scenario, TV will do what it does best and cover live events--be it Sunday's audience-record-breaking Super Bowl XLII, or today's intriguing primaries. The service is being delivered by Move Networks and to get to the ABCNow service try this link.

For more:
ABCNow coverage of the primaries

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washingtonpost.com, Newsweek bow online Super Tuesday coverage Release

ABC streams Warner Bros. TV

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 06:59:20 -0400

Two TV giants struck an unprecedented streaming deal last week. ABC and Warner Bros. Television Group did a two-year deal that allows ABC the streaming rights to four shows in the Warner Bros. stable--"Men in Trees," "Notes from the Underbelly," "Big Shots" and "Pushing Daisies."

ABC will make episodes of the shows available at ABC.com the day after they premiere on TV, and for up to four weeks afterward. ABC will also retain the revenue generated by online views. Under terms of the agreement, the network can also stream pilot episodes on alternative platforms. Streaming rights go back to Warner Bros. in year No. 2, as well as download and DVD rights.

ABC beta launched an HD media player in July provided by Move Networks in American Fork, Utah. The aspect ratio is 16:9, compared to the typical SD ratio of 4:3 for most players. ABC's online HD player is the first one to market, as far we know here at FierceIPTV, but an HD version of Flash is on its way.

For More:
- Time Warner carries the official announcement here
- Multichannel covers the HD ABC media player beta launch here

Related Article
Hi-def Flash arrives Report