ABC Prime-time Shows Now Available Through AOL Video

BURBANK/DULLES, September
20: Disney-ABC Television Group has reached a deal with AOL to make full-length
episodes of ABC prime-time shows available for free the day after their linear
broadcast, via a co-branded version of ABC.com’s broadband player on AOL Video.

The agreement marks the
first time that ABC's prime-time programming has been made available on a major
online portal and is also the first time a major online portal has offered a
full feature version of a broadcast network's online video player.

Full episodes of ABC
programs are now available at video.aol.com,
and beginning next week will feature ABC's new fall lineup of programming.
Generally, four episodes per series will be available at any given time. New
episodes of ABC series offered on AOL the day after their broadcast premieres
include: The Bachelor, Big
Shots, Brothers & Sisters, Carpoolers, Cavemen, Dancing
with the Stars, Desperate
Housewives, Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Men In Trees, October Road, Private
Practice, Pushing Daisies, Samantha Who? and Ugly Betty.

The ABC.com broadband
player on AOL will be co-branded with an "ABC.com on AOL" message
alongside the local ABC affiliate's station ID based on the individual user's
geographic location. Episodes viewed online will feature up to three
interactive advertisements from one national sponsor, as well as an additional
local ad insertion. ABC will continue to sell national advertising for the
broadband player and local affiliates will continue to be responsible for local
ad sales. Since the broadband player launched on ABC.com in September 2006,
over 140 million episodes of ABC prime-time series have been initiated by
users, and to date, ABC affiliates covering 80 percent of the country have
launched, or are committed to launch the players on their own websites.

“Based on the success ABC
affiliates have had online in the past year since launching the broadband video
player on their own sites, we believe this initiative with AOL offers
tremendous potential for increased exposure and promotional opportunities for
local stations," said Ray Cole, the chairman of ABC Television Affiliates
Association. "We look forward to working together with ABC and AOL to
break new ground in the digital distribution arena.”

AOL Video is now the only
online video portal to have deals in place with all four of the major
television networks. The deal with Disney-ABC Television Group follows
previously announced deals with NBC/News Corp. (Hulu) and CBS. Content from CBS
is live now on AOL Video, and content from Hulu is expected to go live later
this fall.