Disney+ Adds Live, Local News From 8 ABC Stations – Will We Get Full ABC Access?

Don’t look now, but Disney+ is tiptoeing closer to including a live ABC feed on their platform. Right now, you can access newscasts from Disney’s 8 owned-and-operated ABC affiliates if you go to the “Live Now” section of the streaming service.

ABC is the only major network you can’t stream without a full channel bundle.

NBC is available on Peacock.

CBS is available with Paramount+.

FOX is available on FOX One.

Disney itself took a giant step forward with the launch of ESPN Unlimited, which includes full ESPN access without a multiple channel provider.

As media companies consolidate and buckle down for a long battle, part of the equation is reducing friction. It’s why Disney+ is absorbing Hulu. It’s why Disney+ has added a handful of ESPN+ shows and events. The longer you stay in one platform, the more they can monetize your time.

There’s an ongoing battle to be the “default” streaming service – the first thing you click to when you turn on your TV. Right now, most of us may navigate to Netflix because it has something for everyone. Until recently, Disney+ was only something you turned on when you wanted to watch a movie with your kids, or if you needed a video babysitter.

Adding these ABC affiliate newscasts is a nice step forward, but it won’t really move the needle for most people. First off, these are only the stations owned and operated by Disney:

• New York City, NY – WABC-TV
• Los Angeles, CA – KABC-TV
• Chicago, IL – WLS-TV
• Houston, TX – KTRK-TV
• Philadelphia, PA – WPVI-TV
• San Francisco–Oakland–San Jose, CA – KGO-TV
• Durham–Raleigh–Fayetteville, NC – WTVD
• Fresno, CA – KFSN-TV

And limiting the programming to news makes this no different from the feed you can access through a free streaming service like Pluto TV or Plex.

But extra content at no additional cost is always a win. We’ll take it.