ABC’s radical new plan for video-on-demand

February 25th, 2008 | Category: ABC

Are you kidding me? In a bold new way, ABC has come up with a way to keep viewers from fast-forwarding through the commercials! Okay, it’s only in the video-on-demand universe (VOD), but it feels like what was once a convenient, fast way to catch up on episodes of your favorite shows is now going to be invaded with ads you cannot avoid unless you walk out of the room.

In a move they’re touting as a win-win, ABC/Disney announced today an arrangement that “allows local affiliates to participate in the fast-forwarding disabled VOD offering.” The network agrees to supply episodes of

their top shows for use in local advertising supported VOD services as distant as those operators agree to disable the “fast-forwarding” capability so viewers can’t zap through the commercials. There’ll be ads inserted, both local and national, but not as many as the on-air broadcasts of shows like Ugly Betty, Lost and Desperate Housewives.

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