Dec 23

Update: WABC-TV Prepares for Cable Provider Standoff with StopCablevision.com

: Image via Wikipedia

Today, The Walt Disney Company registered a series of domain names revolving around one of its flagship television stations, WABC-TV in New York City. The domain names which include ILoveABC7.com, IWantMyABC7.com, SaveABC7.com and SaveABC7Now.com were also joined by StopCablevision.com

Unusual for Disney, the sites were already active, although it appears as though the content on the site — while not harmful in any way — was probably not meant for public consumption.

Under the title ABC/WABC Retransmission Consent, the page provides guidelines for how the company plans to address an upcoming negotiation with cable provider Cablevision beginning in January with a current contractual deadline of an unspecified date in March.

Presumably anticipating that Cablevision will not respond favorably for a request for more money to carry the network station, the site plans to offer customers a way to ‘understand the facts about the negotiations with Cablevision and our position,’ while possibly offering an online petition, a chat room or forum (with moderation) to support the station and offering a list of other suitable providers that customers can turn to should they find removal of the channel from the cable provider unbearable.

Update #1: December 23 – After replacing the page with a 404 File Not Found error, Disney has disabled the site completely.
Update #2: December 30 – The LA Times reports that Disney has weighed in on the current Fox-Time Warner Dispute
Update #3: December 31 – Disney has also registered DONTLOSEABC.COM and KEEPABCON.COM