ABC FAMILY LETS VIEWERS SHARE, PLAY, GO, CELEBRATE AND WATCH ONLINE WITH NEXT STEPS FOR ABC FAMILY.COM
Interactive Site Reflective of Brand�s Multi-Platform Strategy to Reinforce Viewers� Relationship with ABC Family Programming
Site to Encompass Five Distinct Areas that Provide Significant Advertising Opportunities
New York, NY (April 12, 2006) � To further strengthen its relationship with viewers, and augment its programming brand, ABC Family will launch a new version of ABC Family.com in August, it was announced today by Paul Lee, president, ABC Family and Albert Cheng, executive vice president, digital media, Disney-ABC Television Group.
"The ABC Family brand -- more than any other -- is driven by connection. That's what gives our shows their heart, and it's what's going to drive everything we do on ABC Family.com," said Lee. "We are creating a full-scale online community that will allow our viewers to not only constantly connect with our shows and games, but also with each other. We're confident that this enhanced interaction will only help to strengthen our Channel's relationship with viewers."
"ABC Family's target audience hits the sweet spot of the digital lifestyle," said Cheng. "With the incredibly high percentage of young adults using broadband, it makes perfect sense to create an online experience rich with interactive content and social networking capabilities that supplements ABC Family's presence on the television set."
Logging on to www.abcfamily.com will allow viewers to choose from five distinct areas targeted to adults -- Share, Play, Go, Celebrate and Watch.
� Share provides community space where viewers can connect with one another to discuss the latest plot development on any of the channel's original series, and share their own stories all in one web-based application.
� Play is an interactive gaming area designed to deepen the viewer's connection with ABC Family programming, featuring such activities as a DNA puzzle based on the new series KYLE XY, and an action game that takes viewers inside the mythology of the upcoming six hour special event FALLEN.
� Go will provide viewers the ability to download selected content directly to their mobile devices including exclusive trailers and special behind-the-scenes content. Previews for the original series BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE are already available at www.ABCFamily.com.
� ABC Family owns the holidays, and Celebrate will be home to interactive content associated with viewer favorites such as "25 Days of Christmas," "13 Nights of Halloween" and the new "Summer Blast," as well as related sweepstakes, games, holiday greetings, downloadable content such as cards, gift tags and screensavers, and interactive viewer contributions.
� Watch will reinforce the networks programming by giving viewers the ability to stream limited ad-supported, original content. ABC Family is also exploring the development of entertainment content that will be available exclusively online.
This announcement is part of the Disney-ABC Television Group's overall Digital Media multiplatform business initiative and demonstrates the Group's ongoing commitment to launching new broadband and other digital products and working with strategic partners in the digital media space to make its high-quality, informative and entertaining content available to consumers whenever and wherever they choose.
Distributed in over 89 million homes, ABC Family features original movies, series and specials. The channel focuses on storytelling about today's relationships � in all of their diversity, dysfunction, humor and passion.
Disney-ABC Television Group is home to all of The Walt Disney Company's worldwide entertainment and news television properties. The Group includes the ABC Television Network, Disney Channel's worldwide portfolio of kids channels, ABC Family and SOAPnet; as well as television production and syndication divisions Touchstone Television, Walt Disney Television Animation, Buena Vista Worldwide Television and Walt Disney Television International. Disney-ABC Television Group also manages the Company's equity interest in Lifetime Entertainment Services, A&E Television Networks and E! Networks.
|