Verizon and the Disney and ESPN Media Networks Expand TV Agreement
Verizon and the Disney and ESPN Media Networks Group today announced that an agreement has been reached to provide Verizon FiOS customers the new authenticated services WATCH ABC, WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD and WATCH Disney Junior, as well as the yet-to-be-launched WATCH ABC Family service.
Verizon will also add Fusion, the upcoming news, information and lifestyle multiplatform network for Hispanics. The English-language joint venture from ABC and Univision is set to launch later this year.
With access to a broadband connection, FiOS TV customers can log on to the My Verizon portal and with their user name and password, watch a variety of programming from the WATCH ABC and WATCH Disney offerings by clicking on their program of choice, anywhere they wish -- on laptops, Apple or Android tablets or smart phones.
In addition to accessing content through FiOS TV Online, FiOS subscribers can access authenticated content through the WATCH ABC, WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD and WATCH Disney Junior apps; as well as online at WATCHABC.com, WATCHDisneyChannel.com, WATCHDisneyXD.com and WATCHDisneyJunior.com.
The new services included in the agreement are:
- The recently launched authenticated WATCH ABC service -- which is currently available in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Raleigh-Durham -- with launches planned for Houston and Fresno, Calif., this fall. The new service provides viewers with live access to ABC shows and local market programming, as well as a variety of on-demand content. In addition to allowing live linear streaming of viewers local ABC stations, the new service will include the on-demand full-episode viewing experience that the ABC Full-Episode Player and ABC Player app have offered online and via tablets and phones. Viewers can access WATCH ABC online at WATCHABC.com or by downloading the WATCH ABC app on their iOS and Kindle Fire devices, as well as on select Android tablets.
- The suite of authenticated WATCH Disney products including WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD and WATCH Disney Junior. The three WATCH Disney products provide authenticated users with access to live network streams as well as an offering of advantaged window on-demand episodes.
- Fusion, the ABC-Univision English-language joint venture, scheduled to launch later this year.
With access to a broadband connection, FiOS TV customers can log on to the My Verizon portal and with their user name and password, watch a variety of programming from the WATCH ABC and WATCH Disney offerings by clicking on their program of choice, anywhere they wish -- on laptops, Apple or Android tablets or smart phones.
In addition to accessing content through FiOS TV Online, FiOS subscribers can access authenticated content through the WATCH ABC, WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD and WATCH Disney Junior apps; as well as online at WATCHABC.com, WATCHDisneyChannel.com, WATCHDisneyXD.com and WATCHDisneyJunior.com.
The new services included in the agreement are:
- The recently launched authenticated WATCH ABC service -- which is currently available in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Raleigh-Durham -- with launches planned for Houston and Fresno, Calif., this fall. The new service provides viewers with live access to ABC shows and local market programming, as well as a variety of on-demand content. In addition to allowing live linear streaming of viewers local ABC stations, the new service will include the on-demand full-episode viewing experience that the ABC Full-Episode Player and ABC Player app have offered online and via tablets and phones. Viewers can access WATCH ABC online at WATCHABC.com or by downloading the WATCH ABC app on their iOS and Kindle Fire devices, as well as on select Android tablets.
- The suite of authenticated WATCH Disney products including WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD and WATCH Disney Junior. The three WATCH Disney products provide authenticated users with access to live network streams as well as an offering of advantaged window on-demand episodes.
- Fusion, the ABC-Univision English-language joint venture, scheduled to launch later this year.
