US media giant Disney has made a deal with satellite operator Dish Network to allow its channels to be watched over the internet - streamed to smartphones, tablets, computers, or a traditional TV.
As with any contract between a media group and a cable or satellite company, the deal announced on Monday sets conditions for distributing Disney channels - which include ABC, Disney Channel and ESPN - through a subscription to the Dish network.
But it also opens a possibility for Dish "to deliver new services in the future," aimed at consumers with an internet subscription but not a television one, the statement said.
It authorises Dish to make available shows from Disney's channels live and on demand over the Internet.
We "planned for the evolution of our industry", said Anne Sweeny, co-chairman of the Disney network, in the statement.
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The result could be a service for live television much like Netflix, allowing a monthly subscription for unlimited access to streamed content over the internet, said analysis site 247Wallst.com.
"This is the first time a content owner has granted cable or satellite TV operators the digital rights to sell their shows outside of a pay-TV subscription," it noted.
But, "to offer a Netflix-like TV service to people who would rather stream TV over the internet than place a satellite receiver on their roof, Dish may now seek to reach similar agreements with other big content owners", it emphasised.
