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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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30,376



watchabc.png
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]

Article Link: ABC to Stream Oscars Live to 'Watch ABC' iOS App for Select Customers
 

mic j

macrumors 68030
Mar 15, 2012
2,663
156
Getting real tired of this "you can watch it...if you can already watch it" approach to content streaming. :(
 

nutmac

macrumors 603
Mar 30, 2004
6,044
7,288
Getting real tired of this "you can watch it...if you can already watch it" approach to content streaming. :(

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?
 

FakeWozniak

macrumors 6502
Nov 8, 2007
428
26
It's not like it isn't commercial free.
What does it matter if you have a traditional cable company ISP...
 

Nunyabinez

macrumors 68000
Apr 27, 2010
1,758
2,230
Provo, UT
Getting real tired of this "you can watch it...if you can already watch it" approach to content streaming. :(

Maybe they expect it to be used by people who need to use the toilet during the broadcast and don't have the ability to pause live TV.

Or maybe I can watch it while out to dinner with my wife.

Or while I take a drive.
 

seanm9

macrumors regular
Dec 29, 2007
143
0
Cape Cod, MA
this is marginally news... as the WatchABC app streams live video in those markets already (and not any where else) one would think that what is on ABC would be on the app... or did they recently open more markets and they are blocked... as for why those markets i believe that has to do with those markets ABC stations being owned and operated by ABC... here in the Boston market the ABC affiliate is owned by Hearst Broadcasting and has not been able to stream that app... but they have been saying coming soon for a year now it seams:confused:
 

Rocco83

macrumors 6502
Jul 3, 2011
286
408
Getting real tired of this "you can watch it...if you can already watch it" approach to content streaming. :(

Not even. I can already watch it, but apparently I don't live anywhere important enough to be able to stream it. I mean honestly, Fresno and Raleigh-Durham are bigger **** holes than where I live and their money is better than mine :(

Although the only good part of the Oscars is when all the not yet released movies flood the torrents for early viewing.
 

kds1

Suspended
Feb 17, 2013
820
324
New York, New York
Who cares?

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.
 

maxwelltech

macrumors 6502
Dec 29, 2011
423
104
Irvine, CA, USA
Getting real tired of this "you can watch it...if you can already watch it" approach to content streaming. :(
Same here. Everyone knows that Cable TV is about to be outdated thanks to Netflix and the internet. Personally I canceled Cable TV early last year and I rarely watched Cable TV when I still had it. It is ridiculous to ask consumers to pay a large monthly fee so that they can watch one single event. I liked what Fox did with the Super Bowl, when they allowed everyone to stream the event through the internet for free. NBC also messed this up for the Olympics when they limited the events to cable only. I don't mind these TV companies charging a small, one-time fee for us to watch it, but requiring a TV subscription for one single event is a bad move on their part.
 

B2k1977

macrumors regular
Mar 15, 2009
191
194
Maybe they expect it to be used by people who need to use the toilet during the broadcast and don't have the ability to pause live TV.

Or maybe I can watch it while out to dinner with my wife.

Or while I take a drive.

Seems legit. After all, those pesky distracted driver laws on the books only cover phone conversations and texting. no one said we couldn't watch the oscars!
 

e-coli

macrumors 68000
Jul 27, 2002
1,935
1,149
My HD antenna already gives my free access to ABC shows, and it serves them up in better resolution with wider band audio...for free.

Forget the hack cable companies and their idiotic logins. Just get an antenna for $12.
 

macduke

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,106
19,603
Same here. Everyone knows that Cable TV is about to be outdated thanks to Netflix and the internet. Personally I canceled Cable TV early last year and I rarely watched Cable TV when I still had it. It is ridiculous to ask consumers to pay a large monthly fee so that they can watch one single event. I liked what Fox did with the Super Bowl, when they allowed everyone to stream the event through the internet for free. NBC also messed this up for the Olympics when they limited the events to cable only. I don't mind these TV companies charging a small, one-time fee for us to watch it, but requiring a TV subscription for one single event is a bad move on their part.

Not if net-neutrality isn't upheld. You'll have to pay extra to get the Netflix package added to your internet plan.

I don't see why ABC can't make money from ads on streaming devices. Surely having millions more watching ads on streaming would make more money than subscribers.

This all being said, I just do what most 20-something's do and use the login details from my parents cable account to access most of the channels on my Apple TV. I wonder if these companies realize how much money they're losing by sticking to an outdated model on cable TV?

My one last wish is an ultra Netflix plan. Stream any movie they have available on disc for $40-60/mo. I would pay for that easily.
 

e-coli

macrumors 68000
Jul 27, 2002
1,935
1,149
My one last wish is

...the NFL. The only thing keeping the cable networks in business.

Gradually we're going to end up with the same broadcast model we have now, only applied to the internet. As Netflix and Amazon prime etc. become surcharges, internet content will be the same as basic cable, premium cable, and ultra premium 1960's coaxial compressed inefficient cable.

To my original comment, I predict a massive backlash against the pro football very soon. For multiple reasons. Hello college football. You're about to get many more viewers. Forget the "non-profit organization" that is the NFL.

----------

Thus negating the point of streaming content.

Whatever. It'll be on BitTorrent the next day. Forget these clowns.
 
Last edited:

Tiger8

macrumors 68020
May 23, 2011
2,479
649
Why selected markets? Is it a bandwidth issue?

It's a greed issue. ABC app used to be the best, you watch your programs a day later if you miss them, but now if you are not one of the 'select few', you have to wait 8 days!

I am a cable cutter and I refuse to support that. I think ABC are shooting themselves in the foot in terms of rating to please those providers; it used to be I miss a show and I can catch up on it during the week to be ready to see the next episode live, but now I don't bother; it's all added to my Hulu account and will watch it later, way after ratings are final.
 

2457282

Suspended
Dec 6, 2012
3,327
3,015
Getting real tired of this "you can watch it...if you can already watch it" approach to content streaming. :(

I soooooooo agree. It kills me to get all these apps just to find out they don't work without having a subscription in place with a cable company. The problem is really bad on the ATV where it seems few of the channels they have added works unless you are a cable subscriber. There is ZERO love for us cable cutters.
 
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