Disney-ABC Tests Online Distribution with Flash-8

The Disney-ABC Television Group will offer ad-supported, full-length episodes of four ABC primetime series via its website, bypassing cable operators and other content aggregators.



Current episodes of "Lost," "Desperate Housewives," and "Commander In Chief," as well as the entire present season of "Alias," will be available for streaming during May and June for free. A number of advertisers have already signed-up, including AT&T, Cingular, Ford, Procter & Gamble, Toyota, Unilever's Suave, Universal Pictures and Walt Disney Pictures.



The content will be encoded and streamed in Flash 8. The standard viewing size is 500x282 pixels (streamed at 400kbs), and the larger viewing size is 700x394 pixels (streamed 700 kbps).



Consumers will be able to pause and move back and forth between "chapters" within each episode, but will not have the ability to fast-forward through advertisements. Episodes will be streamed in 16x9 formatting which offers a cinema-like feel.



"Our mission with this trial is to gather key learning about the technology and the consumers who utilize it in order for ABC.com to become the leading broadband digital entertainment experience, packed with innovative, immersive content for our viewers," said Albert Cheng, executive vice president, Digital Media, Disney-ABC Television Group. "In the months ahead, ABC.com will not only deliver a high quality, on-demand viewing experience to users, but will also gain valuable knowledge and research to help us better understand and serve our consumers in the rapidly evolving digital world."http://www.disney.comhttp://www.abc.com