ABC, ESPN Content Added to Veoh Networks

BURBANK, June 24: Several
ABC series, including Lost and Grey’s
Anatomy, and short-form online
video content from ESPN.com are now available to Veoh Networks’ more than 28 million
broadband users.

Delivered via ABC.com's
broadband player, episodes of Lost,
Desperate Housewives, Grey’s
Anatomy and Ugly Betty, among others, can be viewed for free on the Veoh
website. The popular Internet television service—whose investors include
former Disney chief Michael Eisner’s Tornante Company, ex-Paramount chairman
Jonathan Dolgen and Tom Freston, formerly the CEO of Viacom—will also
feature selected short-form programming from ABC via an embedded player that
will launch on the site later this year. Also available are highlights from
major sporting events via an embedded ESPN video player, as well as original
ESPN programming, including SportsCenter Right Now and clips
from Mike and Mike in the Morning,
Pardon the Interruption and Around
the Horn.

Matt Murphy, the senior VP of digital
video distribution at Disney and ESPN Media Networks, noted: “This deal expands the distribution of our
quality programming through our own broadband players, growing the reach of our
advertisers while maintaining their direct association with our powerful
network brands.”

Steve Mitgang, the CEO of
Veoh Networks, stated: “Veoh’s viewers actively watch a broad range of content
across network TV shows, made-for-web productions and independently produced
videos, so we are thrilled to expand our offerings with popular programming
from ABC and ESPN. This relationship will not only allow Veoh to cultivate new,
influential fans of ABC and ESPN shows among its core audience of 18-34 year
old viewers, but also engage marketers across even more types and lengths of
video content.”

Other key content partners
for Veoh include CBS, MTV Networks, Lionsgate and PBS.

—By Mansha Daswani