Wired News: ABC: "we don't want to lose them altogether"

Link: Wired News - AP News.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- ABC said Monday it will release hit shows like "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives" for free over video-on-demand cable services, with the hitch that viewers will have to sit through commercials without being able to fast-forward.

"The Walt Disney Co., parent company of the network, is aiming to profit from ads sold for the video-on-demand offerings while expanding its digital strategy beyond programs distributed on its Web site, abc.com..."

Here is the bottom line --- media companies take note: "We're trying to drive everyone back to television but very much understand that with everybody's lifestyles, they can't necessarily watch that way and we don't want to lose them altogether," Disney spokeswoman Karen Hobson said.