Who Owns ABC News & ABC Television?

Every day, millions of people tune into ABC News or enjoy shows on ABC Television. You’ve probably laughed at a sitcom, watched breaking news, or cheered during a reality show on ABC. But have you ever stopped and asked yourself: Who actually owns ABC? Let’s dive in and clear it all up!

TLDR:

ABC News and ABC Television are both owned by The Walt Disney Company. That’s right—Mickey Mouse owns the house that brings you the news! ABC was bought by Disney in 1996. Since then, Disney has been in charge of all ABC content.

A Quick Look Back in Time

ABC wasn’t always owned by Disney. In fact, it has a long and twisty history. Let’s travel back in time for a moment.

• 1943: ABC was born out of a company breakup. It originally spun off from NBC.
• 1985: Capital Cities Communications bought ABC for $3.5 billion.
• 1996: Disney bought Capital Cities/ABC Inc. for around $19 billion. Boom! Mickey and friends took over ABC.

Since then, ABC has been part of the Disney family. That includes ABC News, ABC Television Network, and other ABC-related media.

What Is ABC Exactly?

Let’s simplify it. ABC is two main things:

• ABC News: The part of ABC that reports the news — from breaking events to politics.
• ABC Television Network: This includes your favorite shows, reality competitions, sports, and more!

These two parts work side-by-side but have slightly different focuses. Same parent, different jobs!

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What About Disney?

Disney isn’t just about magic kingdoms and cartoons. It’s one of the biggest media companies in the world.

Here’s a quick look at what Disney owns:

• ABC – Of course!
• ESPN – Sports central!
• Hulu – Streaming your favorite shows.
• Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar – Blockbuster central.
• Disney+ – Their very own streaming platform.

So, owning ABC just fits into Disney’s giant media puzzle.

How Does ABC Fit into Disney?

It all fits under what Disney calls Disney General Entertainment Content. Fancy, huh?

This division includes all of Disney’s non-sports TV magic, like:

• ABC Entertainment
• ABC News
• Freeform
• FX Networks
• National Geographic

The person in charge of this whole group reports directly to the head of Disney. It’s like one big entertainment family—and ABC is a key player.

Is ABC the Same Everywhere?

Great question! No, it’s not exactly the same in every place. The ABC brand exists in various countries, but they are not related.

For example:

• ABC in Australia: A completely separate, government-funded broadcaster. Not related to Disney at all!
• ABC in the U.S.: That’s the one we’re talking about. Owned by Disney.

So if you’re watching ABC in the U.S., you’re watching something produced under the magic wand of Disney.

Fun Facts About ABC

You might think a news and TV network is boring—but ABC has had quite the exciting history. Check these out:

• First black network news anchor: ABC was the first to hire an African-American anchor for a nightly network news show: Max Robinson in 1978.
• TGIF!: Remember Thank God It’s Friday programming? ABC made the 90s amazing with comedies like “Full House” and “Family Matters.”
• Wide World of Sports: This classic ABC show brought global sports into American homes way before ESPN ruled the world.
• “Lost” and “Grey’s Anatomy”: Two megahits from the 2000s that made ABC a primetime powerhouse.

Do Local ABC Stations Belong to Disney?

This is where it gets a little tricky. Disney owns some local ABC stations—but not all of them.

Here’s how it works:

• Owned and Operated (O&O) Stations: These are directly run by Disney.
• Affiliates: These are local stations that show ABC content but are run by separate companies.

Disney owns big-city stations like:

• WABC in New York City
• KABC in Los Angeles
• WLS in Chicago

But in many other cities, local media companies own the station and just have a deal to air ABC programming. So when you watch the news at 6, it might be Disney—or it might not!

Why Is Owning ABC a Big Deal?

In the world of media, owning a network like ABC gives Disney massive reach. They get to:

• Produce original shows
• Report their own news
• Run national advertisements
• Control a major TV outlet in nearly every American home

It gives Disney the power to shape what we watch, what we talk about, and how we see the world—all while bringing in billions from ads and subscriptions.

Will Disney Always Own ABC?

Nothing lasts forever! There have been rumors that Disney might rethink some of its traditional TV holdings. Things are changing fast with streaming and online media.

In fact, in 2023, Disney’s CEO Bob Iger hinted that traditional TV like ABC might not fit with Disney’s long-term goals. But no decisions have been made yet.

For now, though, ABC is still proudly waving the Mickey flag.

In Summary

To recap:

• ABC News and ABC Television are owned by The Walt Disney Company.
• They became part of Disney back in 1996.
• Disney manages ABC through its General Entertainment division.
• Some ABC stations are owned by Disney, others are local affiliates.
• ABC is a huge part of Disney’s global media empire.

So next time you watch a breaking news report or laugh at your favorite sitcom on ABC, just remember—Mickey Mouse might be your boss!

Pretty fun, right?