Monday April 10, 2006

Disney to Make 4 Prime-Time ABC Shows Available for Free Online

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) -- The Walt Disney Co. said Monday its TV group plans to offer four ABC prime-time shows including ``Desperate Housewives`` and ``Lost`` online for free beginning in May.

The offerings will also include current episodes of ``Commander in Chief,`` as well as the entire season of ``Alias,`` and will be available through June.

The shows, being offered by the Disney-ABC Television Group, will be supported by advertisers, including AT&T Inc., Ford Motor Co., Procter & Gamble Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and Unilever PLC, among others.

The TV group also said it will launch a broadband channel for soap opera viewers on April 17, available to Verizon Communications Inc. consumer broadband customers, called Soapnetic.

Shares of Walt Disney Co. rose 46 cents to $27.99 in late morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange. That is closer to the higher end of their 52-week range of $22.89 to $28.85.