TANSTAFL pt. 2

So now Disney/ABC will be offering free downloads of episodes of some of its most popular series. It didn't take long to move from the $1.99 per episode to the free with advertiser support, as predicted.

And ABC is doing this the right way. The download episodes will not be simply the over-the-air version repurposed. ABC promises to use exclusive online sponsors whose commercial messages will be presented in nontraditional formats; games, banners and others I'm sure. CBS and the NCAA recently had success reserving the online advertising opportunities for the online sponsors only.

I predict this is just the tip of the iceberg. The interactivity of the format will lead to far more creative applications. While broadcast viewers may only see the product placement in a future episode of Lost, broadBAND viewers will be able to link right to more information on the product, download a coupon, ask for a free sample or buy the product without missing a moment of Lost.

Also of note is that Disney/ABC is keeping this in house, or on-site as it were. No iTunes in this experiment. Aside from the fees iTunes would charge, ABC remains the sole distributer of the product. The web provides everybody the opportunity to become both producer and distributor of content. The current television network system is in danger of becoming unnecessary middlemen in the distrubution process. ABC needs to maintain a high profile in association with the hit programs it helped to create.