NEW YORK – The British Broadcasting Corp. will make about 40 video news clips available daily in the United States and Canada for Internet and cell phone subscribers through a deal with ABC News.
BBC News producers will choose segments on top world and U.K. news, along with topical items such as entertainment, business and technology news. ABC did not say when it will begin offering the clips.
Nor did the network disclose pricing details, including whether clips will be sold separately or as a package, and whether they will be free to subscribers of its existing $40-a-year premium video package.
"We are still in the process of considering our options," ABC spokeswoman Megan Mollmann said.
BBC and ABC would not disclose financial terms of the deal.
Under the arrangement, ABC is the exclusive distributor of BBC News on-demand footage for broadband and wireless subscribers in the United States and Canada. The BBC said it is the first deal of its kind.
"ABC News and the BBC share a desire to reach consumers anytime, on any device and anywhere across the globe," said Bernard Gershon, general manager for the ABC News Digital Media Group.
Early this year, The Associated Press is launching an ad-supported online video news network using technology and advertising support from Microsoft Corp.
The service will feature about 50 stories per day and be available free of charge to AP's 3,500 newspaper and broadcast members, who are to share in the revenues generated by the network based on how much traffic they generate.
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