ABC to Relaunch Digital Cable News
Associated Press
April 5, 2005
ABC News said it will relaunch its 24-hour digital news operation on television in July and continue to make "ABC News Now" available through the Internet and wireless devices.
The network, a Walt Disney Co. unit, started "ABC News Now" at the political conventions last summer and continued it through January, before pausing to decide whether to go forward. It was available in a little more than six million of the nation's nearly 110 million television homes.
For the first time, the 10 ABC-owned stations will contribute local programming to the service, which ABC News President David Westin said would distinguish it from other national news providers. ABC News will work to get other affiliated local stations involved, he said.
Mr. Westin described "ABC News Now," with its multiple platforms, as a generation beyond traditional cable news outlets. "We need to have news available to our audience whenever they want it, however they want it," he said.
ABC will offer up to 50 hours of video on demand per month. So far, one of ABC's most popular pieces of video on demand was Ashlee Simpson's halftime performance at the Orange Bowl.
"ABC News Now," available in about 30 million homes over the Internet, offers hourly news updates and continuous coverage of breaking news events. It will have a variety of short programs, like the business show "Money Matters" around the opening and closing bells of the New York Stock Exchange and "Politics Live" with Sam Donaldson and Chris Cuomo. But for the most part, it will rerun other ABC News programming.
The participating ABC-owned stations are in New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; San Francisco; Philadelphia; Houston; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Toledo, Ohio; Flint, Mich.; and Fresno, Calif.
Copyright © 2005 Associated Press
Associated Press
April 5, 2005
ABC News said it will relaunch its 24-hour digital news operation on television in July and continue to make "ABC News Now" available through the Internet and wireless devices.
The network, a Walt Disney Co. unit, started "ABC News Now" at the political conventions last summer and continued it through January, before pausing to decide whether to go forward. It was available in a little more than six million of the nation's nearly 110 million television homes.
For the first time, the 10 ABC-owned stations will contribute local programming to the service, which ABC News President David Westin said would distinguish it from other national news providers. ABC News will work to get other affiliated local stations involved, he said.
Mr. Westin described "ABC News Now," with its multiple platforms, as a generation beyond traditional cable news outlets. "We need to have news available to our audience whenever they want it, however they want it," he said.
ABC will offer up to 50 hours of video on demand per month. So far, one of ABC's most popular pieces of video on demand was Ashlee Simpson's halftime performance at the Orange Bowl.
"ABC News Now," available in about 30 million homes over the Internet, offers hourly news updates and continuous coverage of breaking news events. It will have a variety of short programs, like the business show "Money Matters" around the opening and closing bells of the New York Stock Exchange and "Politics Live" with Sam Donaldson and Chris Cuomo. But for the most part, it will rerun other ABC News programming.
The participating ABC-owned stations are in New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; San Francisco; Philadelphia; Houston; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Toledo, Ohio; Flint, Mich.; and Fresno, Calif.
Copyright © 2005 Associated Press