• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, May 24, 2012

If eight ABC stations have their way, viewers will go to sleep after watching “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and wake up listening to their branded alarm clocks. Call it a different version of “Good Morning America.”

The ABC-owned Houston station has launched an app featuring an alarm clock that offers news and weather information, as well as traffic reports. If it clicks with users, the information would be tempting enough for consumers to wake up and turn the ABC station back on for morning programming.

The free app works via an iPhone or iPod touch and versions of the “ABC13 Houston Alarm Clock” will soon be available locally through all eight stations owned by ABC in markets including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Users can customize the wake-up tones, choosing a waterfall, rooster crowing or the voices of local anchors.

The app was developed by the ABC-owned station group’s digital operations in conjunction with the Disney/ABC Television digital group.

The app “makes the trusted content gathered” by the stations “even more accessible,” stated Carla Carpenter, senior vice president in digital media for the station group.