Disney+ adding ABC stations in select markets
Disney+ adding ABC stations in select markets
Audiences in some of the biggest cities in the United States will soon find news programming and more from their ABC station on the streamer.
While Disney+ does offer some live news in the form of the ABC News free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel, it still falls behind other streamers in that regard. Paramount+ and Peacock, for example, offer live streams of CBS and NBC respectively — at least, if viewers have ad-free subscriptions. But it appears that Disney+ is looking to get more in line with its streaming competitors. The platform has announced that it will add eight owned-and-operated ABC stations for subscribers in select markets to stream around the clock.
Key Details:
- Going live: Disney+ is adding live streams of eight ABC channels.
- Important distinction: All stations being added to Disney+ are owned and operated by Disney.
- All subscribers: ABC streams appear to be available to all Disney+ subscribers in applicable markets.
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Viewers now have access to live streams of ABC stations on Disney+ in the following markets: New York (WABC-TV), Los Angeles (KABC-TV), Chicago (WLS-TV), Philadelphia (WPVI-TV), Houston (KTRK-TV), San Francisco (KGO-TV), Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (WTVD-TV), and Fresno, California (KFSN-TV).
All of these are Disney-owned and-operated ABC stations, and they’ll offer programming such as market-specific newscasts, breaking stories, key weather updates, and special community events and celebrations. Viewers will find the stations in both the ABC News Hub and the Live Hub in the Disney+ interface, with more integration to come.
Will this mean that ABC stations from around the country will soon be headed to Disney+? That could be a little trickier to pull off. Since Disney does not own the hundreds of other ABC affiliates around the country, it will have to make deals with the channel owners to bring them onto Disney+ as well.
That doesn’t mean that it’s impossible for Disney+ to add those stations, just that it will take time to accomplish. The Streamable advocated for Disney+ to add ABC stations weeks ago, and we’re glad the House of Mouse decided to heed our sage advice.
Disney is continuing its efforts to make Disney+ a one-stop streaming destination by adding Hulu content, live sports from ESPN, and now more news from ABC. Viewers in the eight applicable markets can find a live stream of ABC on their Disney+ account now.
Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”
