'Housewives,' 'Lost' Online For Free

The Walt Disney Co. said Monday its TV group plans to offer four ABC prime-time shows including "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" online for free beginning in May.

The offerings will also include current episodes of "Commander in Chief," as well as the entire season of "Alias," and will be available through June.

The Wall Street Journal reports that shows like "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" would be available on a revamped Web site the morning after they air. The report says shows would be archived so viewers can eventually watch an entire season of shows from outlets including ABC and Disney Channel.

New technology would be aimed at preventing viewers from fast-forwarding through commercials, in an effort to keep advertisers happy.

The shows, being offered by the Disney-ABC Television Group, will be supported by advertisers, including AT&T Inc., Ford Motor Co., Procter & Gamble Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and Unilever PLC, among others.

The TV group also said it will launch a broadband channel for soap opera viewers on April 17, available to Verizon Communications Inc. consumer broadband customers, called Soapnetic.

Shares of Walt Disney Co. rose 46 cents to $27.99 in late morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange. That is closer to the higher end of their 52-week range of $22.89 to $28.85.