Disney/ABC Television Group and ESPN Extend Agreement With Verizon to Offer Entertainment, Kids, Sports and News Programming

Disney/ABC Television Group and ESPN Extend Agreement With Verizon to Offer Entertainment, Kids, Sports and News Programming

Full-length Episodes of Popular Series from Disney/ABC Television Group, Including ABC's "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy," "Lost" and "Ugly Betty," as well as Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana," "The Suite Life on Deck" and "Phineas and Ferb" Available on V CAST Video from Verizon Wireless

NEW YORK, BRISTOL, Conn., and BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Disney/ABC Television Group, ESPN and Verizon announced today that a comprehensive portfolio of news, entertainment and sports video programming, including full-length episodes of shows from ABC Entertainment, ABC News and Disney Channel, as well as content from ESPN, will be available to Verizon Wireless V CAST Video and Mobile Web customers.

The agreement covers mobile distribution of on-demand, full-length episodes to V CAST Video, complementing existing short-form content currently available from ABC and ESPN. Full-length programs will include:

   --  ABC Entertainment:  "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy," "Lost"       and "Ugly Betty"   --  ABC News:  "Nightline," "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," "World       News with Charles Gibson" and "20/20"   --  Disney Channel:  "Hannah Montana," "The Suite Life on Deck" and       "Phineas and Ferb"    

Full episodes of these programs will be available on demand on V CAST Video the day following their television premiere.

Verizon Wireless customers will now also be able to access and view expanded programming from ESPN, including short news clips and other sports-related content.

"We are excited to team with Verizon to bring an even more extensive, comprehensive array of multi-brand, world-class programming to V CAST customers," said Matt Murphy, senior vice president of digital video distribution, Disney and ESPN Media Networks. "As we continue expanding the ways viewers can connect to the content they want and brands they love on the platforms they choose, Verizon has been a true ally. In the past year, we've not only teamed to offer full episodes on wireless, but have also worked together to bring ESPN Deportes to more Verizon FiOS customers, to make popular ABC series available via fast-forward disabled VOD and to launch new iTV applications like ESPN's Fantasy Football."

"Mobile customers with active lifestyles like the convenience of watching their favorite TV programs when they are on the go or away from their homes," said Terry Denson, vice president, content strategy and acquisition at Verizon. "We're excited to add so many hit shows from ABC and the Disney Channel to the V CAST Video lineup, providing fresh and familiar favorites that are easy to find for our customers."

Customers with select V CAST-enabled phones can check out V CAST whenever they want for just $3.00 for 24-hour use or by signing up for the $15.00 V CAST VPak monthly subscription, which also includes access to Verizon Wireless' ESPN MVP, Get It Now(R) and Mobile Web services. V CAST subscribers get unlimited basic video, but application download fees may apply for 3D games and premium video. There are no airtime or megabyte charges to download, stream or watch V CAST content with any V CAST subscription.

As part of this agreement, Verizon customers will also have easy access to a variety of ESPN's and Disney/ABC Television Group's mobile Web sites.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 83.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About Disney/ABC Television Group

The Disney/ABC Television Group is home to all of The Walt Disney Company's (NYSE:DIS) worldwide entertainment and news television properties. The Group includes the ABC Television Network (including ABC Daytime, ABC Entertainment and ABC News divisions); the Disney Channels Worldwide global kids' TV business, ABC Family and SOAPnet; as well as television production and syndication divisions ABC Studios, Stage 9 Digital Media, Disney-ABC Domestic Television and Disney-ABC-ESPN Television. The Disney/ABC Television Group also manages the Radio Disney Network, general interest and non-fiction book imprint Hyperion, as well the Company's equity interest in Lifetime Entertainment Services and A&E Television Networks.

About ESPN

ESPN, Inc. is the world's leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of over 50 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of six domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPNU), ESPN and ESPN2 HD simulcast services, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (32 networks, syndication, radio, web sites), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN Zones (sports-themed restaurants), and other growing new businesses including ESPN360.com (Broadband), ESPN Mobile Properties, ESPN on Demand, ESPN Interactive and ESPN PPV. Based in Bristol, Ct., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Verizon Wireless

CONTACT: Debra Lewis of Verizon Wireless, +1-908-559-7512,
Debra.Lewis@verizonwireless.com; or Karen Hobson of Disney/ABC Television
Group, +1-818-569-7789; or Colleen Lynch of ESPN, +1-860-766-4235

Web Site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/094251.html

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Profile: International Entertainment