BURBANK, Calif. and OVERLAND PARK, Kan. ? 05/15/2007 The Disney-ABC Television Group and Sprint (NYSE: S) announced today that Sprint customers can now access a comprehensive portfolio of news and entertainment video programming from ABC Entertainment, ABC News and Disney Channel. The content is available in two forms: on demand and via three "linear" mobile channels, which stream continuous scheduled programming throughout the day.
The following content is now available for the first time ever on mobile:
Sprint is also the first carrier to provide ABC Mobile, a newly-created linear mobile channel. ABC Mobile features a variety of popular full-length and short-form news and entertainment content, including full-length episodes of "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy," "Lost" and "Ugly Betty" as well as ABC News' "Good Morning America," "World News with Charles Gibson," "Nightline," "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" and other ABC News Specials. Short-form promotional content from ABC Primetime, ABC Daytime and ABC News is also featured.
Additionally, Sprint now offers:
Finally, Sprint will soon provide:
"We are excited to team with Sprint to build out our first-ever, multi-brand wireless offering, utilizing content throughout our Group to bring an extensive, comprehensive array of world-class programming to the mobile marketplace," said Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney-ABC Television Group. "We continue to be focused on finding new ways to connect viewers to the content they want and brands they love on the platforms they choose. This deal not only provides new viewing opportunities for consumers, but also gives advertisers another platform to reach viewers and associate with our powerful network brands."
"Through our partnership with Disney-ABC Television Group, Sprint is offering yet another first in the industry and continuing our leadership not only in mobile video services but in wireless data applications as a whole. Customers can now conveniently access their favorite ABC and Disney shows no matter where they are within Sprint's nationwide wireless broadband network," said Oliver Valente, senior vice president, product management and development for Sprint. "Customers can watch programs at the airport while waiting for their flight, at the office during lunch and in the thousands of other scenarios where people have some down time and want a news or entertainment break. Disney Channel programming is also great to keep the kids occupied in the car and in many other locations."
Video-on-demand shows will be available the day after their television premiere. In general, customers will be able to access the four most recently televised episodes of each series. Beginning this fall, selected entertainment and news on-demand content and linear programming will include advertising in order to provide customers with the most variety of content at the least cost to them.
The content from Disney-ABC Television Group is available via Sprint TV on Sprint's multiple Power Vision devices. All of the content will be included in the Sprint Power Vision TV Pack, which costs an additional $20 per month. The Sprint Power Vision TV Pack also provides 20 other channels of content as well as exclusive entertainment and sports video from Sprint Power View.
Alternatively, content from Disney Channel only, including the on-demand programs and linear channel, will be available in the Power Vision Access Pack, which costs an additional $15 per month. Both Packs also include unlimited use of several other non-video applications such as web browsing, Picture Mail and mobile email (casual usage charges would apply for access to these applications without a data plan).
