(4 October 2006 6:00 pm)

MUMBAI: In order to expanding its network and channel brands across multiple platforms and connecting viewers with their favorite shows anytime and anywhere, the Disney-ABC Television Group in the US has announced that it will offer enhanced features and additional content, including over 100 short-form videos each week at www.ABC.com.

ABC Entertainment VP digital media Alexis Rapo says, "We are adding a significant amount of unique content, especially video, to ABC.com to make it the primary destination for fans of our programming."

"We have increased the amount of short-form video content including, trailers and originals, by 330 per cent from last season. We are seeing success already -- on the premiere day for Dancing with the Stars. 60 per cent of the video viewed on the site was for that show alone."

Fresh to ABC.com this year are new sites for five returning series The Bachelor, Dancing with the Stars, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Greys Anatomy and Lost. There are also sites for four new series The Knights of Prosperity, The Nine, Six Degrees and Ugly Betty. Additional content includes blogs, podcasts, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with the cast and producers.

Dancing with the Stars gets a new website design with enhanced features and content. There is original online video content backstage interviews, dancer/celebrity spotlights, rehearsals. There is also an online voting component, a mobile SMS campaign, an online dancing game and blogs.

Greys Anatomy has weekly podcasts with producers, weekly blogs from show writers, exclusive online behind-the-scenes features.

For Lost ABC will be coming out with a new website design with many interactive features created for fans, as well as new viewers, including The Lost Theories Board, Lost Connections backstory feature Weekly podcasts and video podcasts with producers.