Cord cutters of the world, take note: starting January 6, only paying cable and Hulu Plus customers will have next-day access to full TV episodes online.
Up until now, the Alphabet network has allowed open access to shows the day after they aired on WatchABC.com and the WatchABC app, as well as on Hulu.
Viewers who don’t have a cable account or Hulu Plus subscriptions will have to wait a week before they can watch the latest episodes online.
So why the switch? According to ABC:
“Pay TV service providers are a key part of the television industry in delivering broadcast content through new technology platforms. Now, with the support of participating pay TV service providers, the ABC network is able to continue to bring live entertainment, news and sports programming on a national and local level as well as the latest on-demand episodes on new, emerging digital platforms at no additional cost to their subscribers. This approach also allows ABC to offer several on-demand episodes that are available to everyone.”
ABC has struck deals with AT&T U-verse, Cablevision Optimum, Charter, Comcast XFINITY, Cox Communications, Google Fiber, Midcontinent, and Verizon FiOS to allow their users to sign in via the WatchABC.com site or WatchABC app to get access to the latest episodes.
But a number of large cable and satellite providers are missing from that list, including Time Warner, Dish and DirecTV.
ABC says they’re working to expand the deals, but in the meantime cable customers who aren’t included on ABC’s list will have to either have a Hulu Plus account, or wait a week to watch the latest ABC episodes online. The network does point out in their online FAQ that the latest episodes may be available via a cable company’s on-demand offerings.
Read More: GigaOm
Brief Take: When ABC launched their WatchABC service last year, they indicated that changes were coming to online viewing. The Alphabet’s move is just the latest attempt to keep a lid on the amount of content given away for free by the big networks.
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