or


[09/12/06 - 12:00 AM]
ABC & Warner BroS. Television Reach Agreement Regarding Digital Distribution Rights for "The Nine"

[via press release from ABC]

ABC & WARNER BROS. TELEVISION REACH AGREEMENT REGARDING DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS FOR �THE NINE�

Disney-ABC Television Group's ABC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television announced today that they have reached an agreement regarding the digital distribution of the highly-anticipated new drama, �The Nine.�

Under the terms of the experimental deal, which was brokered by Disney-ABC Television Group's Mark Pedowitz and Jana Winograde and by Warner Bros. Television Group's Craig Hunegs and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution�s Simon Kenny, ABC has the ability to distribute �The Nine� as a non-permanent offering, which includes streaming episodes online and retaining the advertising revenue generated on the ABC.com broadband player. Warner Bros. Television Group will offer permanent, commercial-free digital downloads of series episodes the day after network broadcasts.

�This announcement underscores our desire to find new and inventive ways to create an ABC-branded experience for viewers that goes beyond their television sets,� said Albert Cheng, executive vice president, Digital Media, Disney-ABC Television Group. �The efforts of Mark Pedowitz and Jana Winograde, on behalf of ABC, and our partners in television and digital distribution at Warner Bros. have resulted in an agreement that should provide invaluable insight as we move forward building our digital business.�

�This is a great example of network and studio partners working together to extend and expand the network television business,� said Craig Hunegs, EVP, Business Management Warner Bros. Television Group. �We are pleased to align with ABC to give viewers convenient on-demand access to our terrific new drama.�

Following its October 4 premiere on ABC, episodes of �The Nine� will be available on ABC.com's ad-supported broadband player for approximately four weeks.

Consumers can purchase episodes the day after broadcast on a variety of digital download platforms.

�We�re thrilled to be able to offer this first-rate product in such a timely fashion to our existing EST partners, such as iTunes, Amazon and AOL, and we look forward to expanding distribution beyond to a number of additional online retailers in our continuing effort to make our programming available to consumers where they want it, when they want it and how they want it,� added Simon Kenny, President, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution.

ABC and Warner Bros. have a history of working together to break new distribution ground. In 2001, the two companies forged a precedent-setting repurposing agreement which allowed ABC Entertainment the ability to immediately rebroadcast episodes of the Warner Bros Television-produced series �The Court� on its cable networks.

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 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.

�The Nine� is a complex character drama series that will unravel the mystery of what transpired during a 52-hour hostage situation in chronological flashbacks that open each episode. But the heart of the series is how that harrowing experience impacted the key characters in their present day lives as they continue to intertwine, deepen and complicate the connections to one another. Revolving through police, legal and medical worlds, the series is one of hope and rebirth, as the characters continue to reinvent themselves in a positive way or are haunted by fateful decisions from which they struggle to recover.

The series stars Lourdes Benedicto (�24�), John Billingsley (�Star Trek: Enterprise�), Jessica Collins (�Ghost Whisperer�), Tim Daly (�Wings�), Dana Davis (�Veronica Mars�), Camille Guaty (�Prison Break�), Chi McBride (�Boston Public�), Kim Raver (�24�), Scott Wolf (�Party of Five�) and Owain Yeoman (�Troy�).

�The Nine� was created by the brother-and-sister writing team of Hank Steinberg (�Without a Trace,� �61*�) and K.J. Steinberg (�Beautiful People,� �Judging Amy�).

Hank Steinberg and Alex Graves (�The West Wing�), who directed the pilot, are executive producers and K.J. Steinberg is co-executive producer/writer. �The Nine� is from Sunset Road Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.

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 Radio Disney Network in addition to the Company�s equity interest in Lifetime Entertainment Services, A&E Television Networks and E! Networks.

Warner Bros. Television (WBTV) is one of the entertainment industry�s most respected providers of original content, producing award-winning drama and comedy series, made-for-television movies and miniseries for both network and cable television. With 27 series set to air during the 2006-2007 season, WBTV is the industry�s number one supplier of primetime television programming, with multiple shows on each of the five broadcast networks, as well as numerous cable networks.





  [september 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· 24 (FOX)
· 61* (HBO)
· BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (ABC FAMILY)
· BOSTON PUBLIC (FOX)
· COURT, THE (ABC)
· GHOST WHISPERER (CBS)
· JUDGING AMY (CBS)
· NINE, THE (ABC)
· PARTY OF FIVE (FOX)
· PRISON BREAK (FOX)
· STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE (UPN)
· VERONICA MARS (HULU)
· WEST WING, THE (NBC)
· WITHOUT A TRACE (CBS)





[09/15/25 - 09:30 AM]
Utkarsh Ambudkar and Ginnifer Goodwin Join the Cast of Disney Jr.'s Hit Series "Superkitties"
They'll be voicing villains Champster and Pamster Glamster (aka The Glamsters), a glamorous and hilariously clueless brother and sister hamster duo who cause chaos for the SuperKitties.

[09/15/25 - 09:16 AM]
Acorn TV Celebrates "An Autumn to Die For"
The event will feature an extensive array of great programming including premieres of all-new series such as the Acorn TV original "Murder Before Evensong" starring Matthew Lewis and based on the bestselling series by British author The Reverend Richard Coles.

[09/15/25 - 09:01 AM]
Watch the Magical Adventure "Smurfs," Premiering on Paramount+ September 16
In the film, Smurfette (Rihanna) leads the crew on a daring rescue mission to save Papa Smurf (John Goodman) after he is mysteriously kidnapped by the evil wizards, Razamel and Gargamel.

[09/15/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The shocking true-life tale of Ed Gein, the infamous murderer and grave robber who inspired many of Hollywood's most iconic on-screen killers.

[09/15/25 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Love Is Blind" Season 9 - Official Trailer - Netflix
Denver singles shake up their search for "the one" and step into the pods, braving twists, turns and love triangles to find their soulmate sight unseen.

[09/15/25 - 05:01 AM]
Video: "The Beast in Me" - Official Teaser - Netflix
Claire Danes, Matthew Rhys, and the team that brought you "Homeland."

[09/14/25 - 09:26 PM]
HBO and HBO Max Receive 30 Emmy Awards, Tied for the Most Wins of Any Network or Platform
"The Penguin" took home nine wins, including Outstanding Actress in a Limited Series or Movie (Cristin Milioti) and Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup.

[09/14/25 - 09:14 PM]
Warner Bros. Television's "The Pitt" (HBO Max) Wins Five Emmy Awards, Including Outstanding Drama Series and Lead Actor for Noah Wyle
Plus: Cristin Milioti won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for the acclaimed HBO/Warner Bros. Television/DC crime drama "The Penguin."

[09/14/25 - 09:01 PM]
From Hardship to Hope: "Typhoon Family" Presents a Tale of Youth, Crisis, and Resilience on October 11
A coming-of-age tale about Tae-poong, a small business CEO struggling to survive the 1997 IMF financial crisis.

[09/14/25 - 08:09 PM]
77th Emmy Awards Winners Announced
The telecast featured awards in 26 Emmy categories presented by top talent from some of television's most acclaimed programs.

[09/14/25 - 07:23 PM]
"SNL" Is the Most Emmy-Winning Show in Television History
"SNL" has 112 wins - 98 wins for the show itself, and 15 additional wins for specials and short-form series.

[09/14/25 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "The Great Flood" Teaser Trailer Previews a Gripping Struggle for Survival
On what may be the last day on Earth, a life-or-death struggle in a flooded apartment quickly becomes humankind's one and only hope for survival.

[09/14/25 - 03:33 PM]
ESPN Original Series "Believers: Boston Red Sox" to Premiere September 26, Featuring Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Donnie Wahlberg, Bill Burr, Uzo Aduba, Katie Nolan, Curt Schilling, David Ortiz, and More
The three-part series tells the story of how, for 86 years, the Red Sox broke the spirits of generations of their most devoted followers, falling short of a championship in heartbreaking and unforgettable fashion, time and time again.

[09/13/25 - 06:31 PM]
Video: "The Witcher" Season 4 - Official Teaser - Netflix
The series returns Thursday, October 30, only on Netflix.

[09/12/25 - 11:48 PM]
Development Update: Week of September 8-12
Updates include: second two of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" on indefinite hold; Ego Nwodim announces "SNL" exit; and Hulu sets cast of "Don't Get High" comedy pilot.