ABC Series Now Available at CTV’s Web Portal in Canada

TORONTO, April 28: CTV has
struck a deal with Disney-ABC International Television to make full-length
episodes of the ABC dramas Lost,
Grey’s Anatomy and Desperate
Housewives available for online
streaming in Canada via its CTV Video Player at CTV.ca.

This marks the first time
that the three ABC Studios-produced series are being streamed on a free
ad-supported basis in Canada. Online streaming of Grey’s Anatomy on CTV.ca is presented by Duracell, while online
streaming of Lost is presented
by Volkswagen.

The deal includes
full-episode streaming of the remaining new episodes from the current seasons
of all three series, with a 28-day viewing window per episode. Additionally,
the last two episodes of each series that aired prior to their recent hiatus
will also be available, with a 28-day viewing window per episode. Each new
episode will be available online on CTV following its West Coast broadcast in
the U.S. Other offerings available on demand for a limited time are episode
recaps, episode previews and, in the case of Lost, exclusive online content. Lost fans can access Missing Pieces, an exclusive online series of 13 webisodes that
fill in storyline gaps during the last three seasons.

In 2006, CTV struck a deal
with Warner Bros. International Television to become the first Canadian
television network to present U.S. network series online when The O.C. premiered on CTV.ca. Since then, a number of
American network series have been made available on demand on the CTV Video
Player, including the Warner Bros. series Nip/Tuck, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Smith,
Big Shots, Pushing Daisies and Gossip Girl. The CTV Video Player at CTV.ca features nine
channels, thousands of hours of both American and Canadian content and millions
of streams per week. Availability of these free, ad-supported U.S. network
dramas is geo-gated and available to Canadians coast to coast who have
broadband access through a Canadian-based Internet service provider.

“Once again, we are
reaching out to new audiences and energizing existing fan bases by presenting
content on viewers’ own terms,” said Susanne Boyce, the president of creative,
content and channels at CTV. “These are three of the hottest shows on
television today, and we want to make sure CTV viewers can stay on top of these
fan favorites through the end of the season by catching up at their
convenience.”

“This agreement
illustrates our commitment to working with international partners who are
strong in the digital space, building on our existing relationship with CTV,”
said Tom Toumazis, the executive VP and managing director of Disney-ABC
International Television for EMEA and Canada. “Launching these hit shows online
in Canada will enhance consumers’ viewing experience of our content, allowing
them to enjoy some of the most talked-about series on television at their
convenience.”

—By Irene Lew