For the first time ever, ABC will stream the Academy Awards ceremony. The 86th Oscars will be available for streaming on the network’s WATCH ABC app, but only in the eight cities where the app is available.
According to USA Today, which first reported the news, the cities were the app is available are New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Fresno, Houston, San Francisco and the Raleigh-Durham market. You need to have a cable subscription with Comcast, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Charter Communications, Midcontinent Communications, Verizon FiOS, Google Fiber or AT&T U-Verse.
While customers in only these areas will be able to stream the show, everyone with the app will have access to The Oscars Backstage, a second-screen experience. This will give users a look behind the scenes during the show and at the red carpet. It also includes access to the “Thank You Cam” and “Winners Walk” after a winner picks up their statue. Film critic Ben Lyons, ABC World News contributor Hitha Prabhakar, People’s Peter Castro and Good Morning America's Chris Connelly will host The Oscars Backstage.
WATCH ABC was first announced early last year and gives customers access to ABC content on the go.
The Oscars will air live on ABC from the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. Ellen DeGeneres is hosting.
image courtesy of ABC