Los Angeles - Disney's (NYSE: DIS) ABC has announced plans to make its primetime TV series available for free viewing on cable, satellite and telco TV video-on-demand services, with the stipulation that viewers will not be able to fast-forward through commercials.

The offering follows an agreement between ABC and its over 200 affiliate stations, whereby the stations will have the opportunity to insert one locally-sold, 30-second commercial within each hour of programming, while ABC will sell the remaining commercial slots to national advertisers.

ABC's deal is initially with Cox Communications, which counts 6 million subscribers and had been testing the service with ABC and its customers in Orange County, Calif. for several months.

ABC has also previously offered limited free, ad-supported video-on-demand programming to Comcast, as have CBS and NBC.

Related Links:
http://www.abcmedianet.com/Web/progcal/dispDNR.aspx?id=022508_02

http://snipurl.com/20h0h (AP)

http://www.abc.com