Apple TV adds ABC News, AOL On, PBS Kids, Willow TV, and redesigned Flickr app

Apple-TV-June-2014

After adding the Watch ABC app to Apple TV late last year, today ABC News arrives as its own channel on the device offering users access to a lot of the network’s content free of charge. While the WatchABC app provides full TV shows from the network and requires a cable subscription, the new ABC News app offers mostly news, clips of new shows as well as the same live stream that is also accessible from ABCNews.com. The new ABC News app comes alongside PBS Kids, Willow TV, AOL On, and a redesigned Flickr app.

The ABC News app, unlike the WatchABC app, will be accessible to all users for free. When it comes to Apple TV, that means that you won’t have to log-in using a supported cable provider in order to access the content. The app will also offer local news from nine TV stations in the US, hourly video news updates, original programming, and ABC News archives with historical footage.

Also arriving on the Apple TV today is PBS Kids (the main PBS channel arrived on Apple TV last year), which provides access to the network’s programming for children. This channel requires activation online but it’s free and doesn’t require a cable subscription like some of the others.

We’ve also spotted some other new additions on the Apple TV today including AOL On, AOL’s video service and original programming. The service, also available through the company’s website, offers video content for a long list of categories from News, to Sports and Video Games, as well as a lot of original AOL produced shows.

Completing the new channels hitting Apple TV today is sports broadcaster Willow TV and a redesigned Flickr app. Willow is the Official Broadcaster of Cricket in the United States and Canada and requires a $15/month subscription for access to most content, while the redesigned Flickr channel now includes a detailed Explore view, a “Your Flickr” section, improved search, a redesigned icon, and a curated iPhoneography section.

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ABC’s full press release is below:

ABC News Launches on Apple TV

Immediate Access to Live & On-Demand Video Content, Entertainment News, Live Hourly Updates, Original Programming and Video Highlights from “Good Morning America,” “World News,” “Nightline,” “20/20” and “This Week” 24/7

ABC News on Apple TV Delivers Local News Updates and Video from 9 Major Market ABC Television Stations Across the Country; 50 Years of Historical Footage from the ABC News Archives

ABC News Continues to Lead the Industry in Digital, Delivering Live, Original and VOD Programming Across Desktop, Mobile, Tablets and Now Connected TVs

ABC News announced the release of ABC News on Apple TV today, providing viewers with a new way to experience live and on-demand news content. ABC News on Apple TV offers immediate access to live, multi-streaming video and on-demand content, entertainment news, live hourly updates, original programming and video highlights from “Good Morning America,” “World News with Diane Sawyer,” “Nightline,” “20/20,” and “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. ABC News on Apple TV also delivers local news updates and video highlights from nine major market ABC television stations across the country, along with 50 years of historical video footage from ABC News’ archives. ABC News continues to lead the industry in digital, delivering live, original and VOD programming to millions of users across desktop, mobile, tablets and now connected TVs. For 28 consecutive months the Yahoo-ABC News Network has remained the #1 source of news and information online, delivering more content to more users than any other online news competitor.

READ: What You Need to Know About ABC News on Apple TV

WATCH: “David Muir Explains features offered in the all new ABC News on Apple TV”

ABC News on Apple TV invites users to see the whole picture with instant access to a robust lineup of original, live, local and on-demand programming. Personalized for the individual news consumer, ABC News content is specifically curated for young, video-hungry audiences that crave immediate, 24/7 access to news programming from an unrivaled lineup of ABC’s trusted anchors and correspondents. ABC News on Apple TV offers more choices for how, when and where to get the video content you want. Unlike other news offerings, ABC News provides a robust line-up of original and on-demand content and up to four live streaming events at once, allowing viewers to select and view the live news they care about most. From court trials and breaking news to the daily White House press briefing, live continuous coverage of the day’s top stories, videos and more are instantly accessible with ABC News on Apple TV. Other highlights include:

-Constant Video: 24/7 access to live and on-demand video from an unrivaled lineup of ABC’s trusted anchors and correspondents. ABC News on Apple TV also features four separate live video streams allowing users to alternate between live events and breaking news throughout the day.

-Hourly Video Updates/4-5 Live Reports Per Day: ABC News on Apple TV delivers video updates on the hour and 4-5 live updates per day from ABC News correspondents and reporters around the world. From the Ukraine and Iraq to the World Cup in Brazil, ABC News’ powerhouse team keeps you informed on the latest headlines anytime you need a hit of news.

-Local Content: ABC News on Apple TV extends the local power of ABC News, featuring the best video content from nine ABC television stations, with others rolling out in the near future. Stations at launch include: WABC in New York, KABC in Los Angeles, WLS in Chicago, WPVI in Philadelphia, KGO in San Francisco, KTRK in Houston, WTVD in Raleigh, KFSN in Fresno and Hearst station WISN in Milwaukee. From extreme weather updates to breaking news, with just a click of a button, ABC News on Apple TV delivers up-to-the-minute local video content from the biggest markets across the country.

– Original Programming: Unlimited access to the best of ABC News programming and original video series.

-Editorially Curated Top Stories/Videos: From entertainment news and politics to original programming like ABC News’ “Second Tour” and GoodMorningAmerica.com’s “GMA Live,” Apple TV offers a editorially curated selection of the top stories and videos that are continuously updated throughout the day.

-ABC News Archives: Over 50 years of historical footage and video from the ABC News video archives. ABC News on Apple TV also features special sections such as “This Week in History” and “The Day in Pictures,” showcasing the best in historical video footage and photos from around the globe.

“We are delighted to deliver ABC News to a whole new and growing audience,” said James Goldston, President of ABC News. “Now the stories that interest you most and anything that’s happening live is instantly available to you on Apple TV from ABC News.”

“Our goal is to put our users in control of their news,” said Joe Ruffolo, SVP of ABC News Digital. “We are very excited to be extending our leadership and innovation onto an amazing platform like Apple TV. Utilizing hours of live video each day, opening up our archives, extending our strong local brands, and bringing the trust of ABC News to our users when and where they want it.”

Filed under: Apps Tagged: ABC, ABC News, AOL, AOL On, Apple TV, apple tv channels, Apple TV update, Flickr, PBS, PBS Kids, Willow, Willow TV