EDITION: U.S.
zap
ABC's radical new plan for video-on-demand
by Allison Waldman, posted Feb 25th 2008 4:26PM
Are you kidding me? In a bold new way, ABC has come up with a way to keep viewers from fast-forwarding through the commercials! Okay, it's only in the video-on-demand universe (VOD), but it feels like what was once a convenient, fast way to catch up on episodes of your favorite shows is now going to be invaded with ads you cannot avoid unless you walk out of the room.In a move they're touting as a win-win, ABC/Disney announced today an arrangement that "allows local affiliates to participate in the fast-forwarding disabled VOD offering." The network agrees to provide episodes of their top shows for use in local advertising supported VOD services as long as those operators agree to disable the "fast-forwarding" capability so viewers can't zap through the commercials. There'll be ads inserted, both local and national, but not as many as the on-air broadcasts of shows like Ugly Betty, Lost and Desperate Housewives.
TV Squad Hot Topics
Most Popular Articles
From Our Partners
- American Idol Recap: The Day the Music Died
- American Idol: What Did You Think of Day 2 of Hollywood Week?
- Pilot Scoop: CBS Orders Comedy from Melissa McCarthy, Starring Her Husband
- Happy Endings Exclusive: Sunny Mary Elizabeth Ellis Makes [Spoiler] Pregnant!
- Pilot Scoop: NBC's Frontier Corrals Bridget Regan, Ethan Embry and Jake McLaughlin
- More From TVLine
- Last Night on Late Night: Men Are Now Terrified of Sleeping with Michelle Dockery
- Melissa McCarthy Lands CBS Pilot, Husband Ben Falcone Will Star
- George Lucas Now Actively Trolling Fanboys with All His Might
- Portlandia's Getting a Book
- Jenna Fischer and Rita Wilson Join Jeff Probst's Indie Movie
- More from Vulture
