ABC Expands Streaming to Four More Markets, Adds Android

NEW YORK—Disney/ABC Television Group is making its “Watch ABC” live streaming service available in four additional markets beyond its initial deployment in New York City and Philadelphia. The company is also making the service available on Android for the first time.

The service, which is available via authentication to select pay-TV subscribers, is now available in Los Angeles (KABC-TV), Chicago (WLS-TV), San Francisco (KGO-TV) and Raleigh-Durham, N.C. (WTVD-TV). The service was launched via New York’s WABC-TV and Philadelphia’s WPVI-TV stations in May. It's available to subscribers of Comcast, Cox Communications, Charter Communications, Midcontinent Communications and AT&T U-verse in these markets.

Watch ABC is also scheduled to roll out in the final two ABC-owned station markets—Houston (KTRK-TV) and Fresno, Calif. (KFSN-TV)—prior to the launch of the new fall broadcast television season in September. Hearst Television also plans to launch the Watch ABC service in their 13 ABC station markets, which include Boston, Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Milwaukee, in the coming months. Agreements with other station groups are expected to be announced prior to the launch of the new fall season.

In addition to its availability on iOS and Kindle Fire devices, Watch ABC can now be accessed on select Android tablets, including Samsung Galaxy devices. It can also be watched on www.watchabc.com.

Watch ABC is the first and only linear broadcasting service to provide authenticated viewers with live access to ABC shows and local programming via live linear streaming from viewers’ local ABC stations. It also provides on-demand access to ABC’s daytime and primetime programming nationwide.

Tom Butts

Tom has covered the broadcast technology market for the past 25 years, including three years handling member communications for the National Association of Broadcasters followed by a year as editor of Video Technology News and DTV Business executive newsletters for Phillips Publishing. In 1999 he launched digitalbroadcasting.com for internet B2B portal Verticalnet. He is also a charter member of the CTA's Academy of Digital TV Pioneers. Since 2001, he has been editor-in-chief of TV Tech (www.tvtech.com), the leading source of news and information on broadcast and related media technology and is a frequent contributor and moderator to the brand’s Tech Leadership events.