ABC Online TV Shows to Require Pay TV Subscriptions

[hughville.livejournal.com]

Are you a cord-cutter, or someone who's never had cable TV? Do you watch "Agents of Shield" or "Once Upon A Time" online? Well, ABC is now going to make you a wait a little longer to watch those shows.

ABC, a subsidiary of Disney, announced this week that starting Jan. 6, viewers who want to watch the latest episode of its television shows will need to be subscribers to a pay TV service, and will have to sign in to gain access to the shows.

After one week, episodes will no longer require a subscription to be viewed. This subscriber wall will be present at both the ABC website and on Hulu.

ABC's pay TV partners in enforcing the subscriber wall are AT&T U-verse, Cablevision Optimum, Charter, Comcast XFINITY, Cox Communications, Google Fiber, Midcontinent and Verizon FiOS.

Interestingly enough, there aren't any satellite TV providers on the list. Nor is Time Warner Cable, the No. 2 cable TV provider. Subscribers to those services will have to wait the extra week along with the cord-cutters. (ABC has stated it is working to get more pay TV providers involved.)

ABC's FAQ page has a few suggestions for those who will be losing immediate viewing access:


1. "Check your TV provider's video on-demand offering. Most offer next-day viewing.

2. You can access episodes on WATCHABC.com and the app a week after they air.

3. New episodes are also available with a subscription to Hulu Plus, or for purchase on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video."

Why limit access to new episodes? The ABC website states only, "Pay TV service providers are a key part of the television industry in delivering broadcast content through new technologyplatforms. Now, with the support of participating pay TV service providers, the ABC network is able to continue to bring live entertainment, news and sports programming on a national and local level as well as the latest on-demand episodes on new, emerging digital platforms at no additional cost to their subscribers. This approach also allows ABC to offer several on-demand episodes that are available to everyone."

Source: Tom's Guide.

Comments

[sparkythegeek.livejournal.com]

Grr from someone with only a free receiver. No cable, etc. :/

[limbomonkey.livejournal.com]

I'm a little confused about this. So, if you don't have cable and watch the show on your TV, that's still the same? Just if you don't have a TV (I don't), you have to wait? This seems like it will invite piracy.

I feel like with shows like Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones or other cable shows that weren't available online, I wouldn't mind paying a small fee to watch them online at my convenience. I like an a la carte plan for media, but so far I don't know of any cable companies going for it. With Once Upon a Time, I was able to watch the shows the next day for free, and ABC showed me some (obnoxious) commercials. But now that they stopped allowing this and will force me to subscribe (I'm assuming to all their shows and I can't just pick what I want to watch, which will make this more expensive for me), why shouldn't I find a pirated version of the show? My own conscious? So this way, ABC will lose ad revenue (because I'm not watching the ads if I'm watching on project free tv, etc.) and my subscription fee. Not to mention losing money trying to locate pirates and send cease and desist letters. I'm surprised they think this is profitable, but then again, I'm not in television. Or maybe I'm just really confused.

[hughville.livejournal.com]

I agree that this will cause a rise in piracy. The torrent sites are going to become very popular.

Fox makes online viewers 8 days.

It's ridiculous. It all comes down to the uppities making more money.

[pwalkeri.livejournal.com]

Does this mean the shows won't be on Hulu Plus the day after airing anymore?

[hughville.livejournal.com]

It seems like Hulu isn't affected by this but my cable company is.

[angelfireeast.livejournal.com]

So will this effect Canadain viewers? Will you still be able to watch the new episodes online the next day on CTV website for free? I reply on that if I miss scene or episode.

[hughville.livejournal.com]

I posted a link to ABC and the FAQ about this mess.

[hughville.livejournal.com]

I posted a link to ABC and the FAQ about this mess.

[hughville.livejournal.com]

I posted a link to ABC and the FAQ about this mess.

[hughville.livejournal.com]

I posted a link to ABC and the FAQ about this mess.

[angelfireeast.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the link, but I am still just as confused after reading it. It doesn't really cover what will happen with Canada (and other countries) unless I miss read something.

[hughville.livejournal.com]

I know. It's only about the US (and its territories). So, maybe it won't affect other countries because I'm beginning to suspect this is about US cable companies trying to lure in the 18-39 age demographic many of whom watch TV on their computers, tablets and phones) and about advertising for US brands and companies.

[fraying-ends.livejournal.com]

In the FAQ on the site it says "3. New episodes are also available with a subscription to Hulu Plus, or for purchase on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video"

Fox has been doing similar for a year or and they are on Hulu Plus the day after.

I hate not being able to tape all the shows I want.