ABC television stations launch free mobile video services

Mobile video is becoming quite the hot topic recently. With the release of the iPhone and news of YouTube-enabled mobile phones on the way, videos on mobile phones are poised to take-off in a big way. Now, ABC is jumping into the mix with their announcement that they will be providing free mobile video in all 10 of their markets. The streaming news clips will be ad supported and offered on WABC-TV in New York; KABC-TV in Los Angeles; WLS-TV in Chicago; WPVI-TV in Philadelphia; KGO-TV in San Francisco; KTRK-TV in Houston; WTVD in Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; KFSN-TV in Fresno, Calif.; WJRT-TV in Flint, Mich.; and WTVG in Toledo, Ohio.

The service is backed by Local Wireless – the country’s leading aggregator of local TV news content. Local Wireless has also worked with ABC to provide users with free text-based news, weather, financial information, traffic and other information.

William Burton, executive VP of digital media of ABC television-stations group, released a statement saying, “The launch of this mobile-video service offers a win-win opportunity for both viewers on the go and advertisers who want to remain connected to them. As a free and easily accessible service with compelling content, the service is designed to successfully meet the growing demand for news video on video-enabled mobile devices in our markets.”

[Via: Broadcast Newsroom]