Lost for free?

[SAS]

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Entertainment/story?id=1825619&page=1&business=true

Walt Disney Co.'s ABC Television will offer "Desperate Housewives," "Lost" and other programming for free on the Internet, in a move to expand viewership as networks fight to maintain primetime audiences.

In a two-month trial run, beginning in May, viewers will be able to download shows on ABC.com on the day after they are first broadcast.

So in theory we could watch the next episode of Lost by heading over to the ABC.com site?

Shows like Doctor Who are following the same setup on the BBC, but if someone overseas can view content this way what resell value has the shows that are broadcasted on tv?

 

[Tom]

I guess the downloads will be on specific software as well. God only knows what crap it would install on your system, but its inevitable for companies to do this, its the best way to defeat piracy.

 

[Fana]

I guess the downloads will be on specific software as well. God only knows what crap it would install on your system, but its inevitable for companies to do this, its the best way to defeat piracy.

Best thing is that you can download a "pirated" version legaly when this goes live, and watch on whatever software/hardware you want, since the show has been released to the public with the permission of the copyrightholders. They cannot force you to watch it on a system of their chosing as you have a legal right to break any copyprotection forcing you to use only certain hard/software (if you live in a EU country at least).

 

[DaGaffer]

The ABC downloads will have embedded ads (which you can't fast forward through ) and are going to be DRM'd to US users only to protect foreign licencees. I was worried when I read this that it would be a disincentive for Americans to set up torrents, but I think the embedded ads will drive people towards nice 'ad-free' edits and keep those torrents flowin'

 

[Calaen]

I guess the downloads will be on specific software as well. God only knows what crap it would install on your system, but its inevitable for companies to do this, its the best way to defeat piracy.

Yup, you will always get the people buying the DvD sets for the extras aswell.