ABC Owned Television Stations, a division of Disney, announced it is launching free 24/7 live and local streaming news services in the eight markets where its stations are located. As brand extensions of New York’s WABC, LA’s KABC, San Francisco’s KGO, Fresno’s KFSN, Philadelphia’s WPVI, Chicago’s WLS, Houston’s KTRK and Raleigh-Durham’s WTVD, the streaming news channels will serve local news and weather, breaking news and lifestyle stories from ABC’s multiplatform Localish as well as exclusive content. The streaming channels will be available via websites, mobile apps, Roku TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and more.

Citing ABC’s position as a “trusted market leader in local news on digital and social media, with stations that are the most watched in their regions,” ABC Owned Television Stations president Chad Matthews said in a company news announcement.

“We love the idea that a viewer is now connected to all our top stations through any of our station streaming apps,” Matthews noted. For example, Los Angeles residents might “have interest or ties to Philadelphia and want to stream their content,” which they’re now able to seamlessly do.

“Matthews was upped from WABC president/general manager to group president last week,” reports Broadcasting & Cable, noting that WABC New York/ABC7 launched its local streaming service with a newscast anchored by locals Bill Ritter and Sade Baderinwa and the premiere of its Eyewitness News investigation “Inside Rikers.”

TVNewsCheck writes that “ABC7 Los Angeles launched its 24/7 stream with a new weekday newscast, Eyewitness News at 7:00 a.m. with the ABC7 morning team of Leslie Sykes, Brandi Hitt, Leslie Lopez and Brianna Ruffalo covering weather, breaking and local news live. Viewers can stream exclusive premium content, hyperlocal reporting from community journalists and Hollywood content,” including from the award-winning “On The Red Carpet” franchise.

CBS News has for some time been making local market newsfeeds available 24/7 for free through a dedicated menu button on apps like Roku TV and other services as well as through app stores. NBC has been streaming national news since 2020, and CNN is scheduled to launch the CNN+ streaming service in March.