ABC has plans to stream this weekend's Oscars live though its Watch ABC app for the iPhone and the iPad to a select number of customers, reports Variety. As with standard programming, watching the Oscars live via the app will require customers to authenticate through their cable providers.
Subscribers of Comcast, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Charter Communications, Midcontinent Communications, Verizon Fios, Google Fiber, and AT&T U-Verse will be able to watch the Oscars in eight markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham, and Fresno.
Customers who use other cable companies or who are located outside of those eight areas will not be able to watch the Oscars live through the Watch ABC app, but they will have access to clips from the red carpet and backstage.
The Oscars Backstage content, produced by the Academy and Disney/ABC Television Group's Digital Media team, is sponsored against by the Samsung Galaxy mobile device brand. That will feature three channels pulled from 15 live cameras strategically placed on the red carpet and throughout the backstage areas of the Dolby Theatre, including the "thank-you cam," winners' walk and the press room. Users will also be able to access the official Oscar Buzz social feed and photo galleries from within the app.
Along with providing access through its Watch ABC app, ABC will also let authenticated users in the aforementioned areas access the full Oscars show through its website.
Watch ABC can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Top Rated Comments
Agreed. I can watch the darn thing for free over-the-air (albeit with occasionally inconsistent reception with dropouts). Why should I be required to a cable/satellite subscriber?
When Watch ABC was released on the AppleTV, I deleted it (Hid it) immediately.
Also, I stopped watching and caring about the Academy Awards years ago.
I don't understand what you are saying? Live streaming is only available on ABC owned affiliates. The rest of the country that has ABC affiliates not owned by ABC can't be streamed. Until ABC makes a deal with them, live streaming will not be possible. It's dumb, but that is how it works.
Wrong. ABC owns the affiliates where it allows streaming. The other affiliates are not owned by ABC and ABC has no right to rebroadcast them without an agreement with each company.