Home Media Magazine - June 1-7, 2008 - (Page 12)

ELECTRONIC DELIVERY www.homemediamagazine.com Rentrak: VOD Viewing Up By Chris Tribbey ideo-on-demand viewing was up almost 60% during the first three months of 2008, compared to the same period last year, according to Rentrak Corp. That’s partially due to a 36% jump in new VOD content available, the company said. BRIEFS I BORDERS WEB STORE BACK Borders Group has decided to reopen its online store separate from seven-year partner Amazon.com, according to The Associated Press. Analysts said Borders’ latest move may be a long shot. Borders has recently hinted it may put itself up for sale, with Barnes & Noble saying it will consider buying the chain. The company has lost business to online retailers and discount stores such as Wal– Billy Gil Mart Stores, says The AP. The Web VOD service, called Starz Play, will be offered for $5.99 a month. Starz Play adds 30 new titles every Friday. There are more than 1,000 movies and more than 2.500 other videos available to – Chris Tribbey customers. V “As the on-demand industry grows and adds more content options, consumers will continue to be drawn to VOD programming to meet their viewing needs,” said Kristie Fortner, VP of syndication for Rentrak. Free VOD playtime increased nearly 50%, subscription-based VOD was up 41%, and a la carte VOD was up 11%, the report said. Free movies made up a majority of the VOD playtime. Rentrak’s analysis also includes HD content, and was produced using data from 51 million set-top boxes from 27 operators and more than 100 content providers. I COMCAST BRINGS ANYROOM TO NEW ENGLAND New England customers of Comcast’s cable service now have access to AnyRoom On Demand, which lets viewers start an On Demand program on one TV and continue to view it on any other TV with a cable box in the same home. No changes to the service plan or equipment are required for AnyRoom, which is offered at no additional fee. – John Latchem Sony Electronics Signs Digital Delivery TV Deal With Cablers By Chris Tribbey s the set-top box going the way of HD DVD? A new agreement signed between Sony Electronics and the six largest cable companies paves the way for “two-way” digital cable services, which would eliminate the need for a set-top box to receive cable TV, record digital video and access video-on-demand. The deal, announced by the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), includes agreements with Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Charter, Cablevision, and Bright House Networks, which combined comprise I for consumers. A national plug-andplay digital cable standard for interactive TV receivers, recorders and other products that is transferable and viable wherever you live is ideal for today’s 82% of U.S. cable subscribers. “I congratulate Sony and the ma- mobile society.” The agreement is bejor cable operators for ing extended to other achieving consensus consumer electronics on a set of core princompanies, and sets a ciples that will speed Java-based standard for the introduction of delivering digital media new two-way plugdirectly to TVs. and-play devices,” said “This is a landmark Rep. Rick Boucher (Dagreement which will Va.), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce provide a national, open and interactive platform resulting in more choices of Committee. Edgar Tu, Sony Electronics’ SVP of services and products for consumers,” TV operations of America, said: “This said NCTA president and CEO Kyle marketplace agreement is good news McSlarrow. I VIVENDI, DIC PARTNER Vivendi Entertainment is entering the digital world. The company will digitally distribute content from DIC Entertainment under a new agreement that covers all forms of electronic transmission, including VOD, electronic sellthrough and mobile. The DIC library includes such brands as “Inspector Gadget,” “Madeline,” “Sonic the Hedgehog,” “The Littles” and “Super – John Latchem Mario Bros.” I TIVO HAS DISNEY RENTALS TiVo is set to offer subscribers the ability to download Walt Disney Studio movies from the TV to their set-top boxes. Movies are offered for a 24-hour rental period in standard-deﬁnition, with many also available in high-def. The service will be available to all broadband-connected TiVo Series2 and Series3 subscribers later this year. – John Latchem I STARZ, VERIZON OFFER VOD Starz Entertainment’s video offerings are now available to Verizon Communication’s Internet and FiOS TV customers. Internet Network Companies Say Bandwidth Gap Is Growing “There is a continuing need to monitor and manage the networks to enmore than 160 Internet network com- and other media, the pipelines are Torrent. “… It is crucial we work with sure available bandwidth for all subBy Chris Tribbey he gap between those with panies, which met on Capitol Hill on getting clogged, FTTH members the networking community to under- scribers,” said John Andrews, presistand which practices will preserve a dent of telecommunications provider low-speed Internet access and May 22 to discuss bandwidth issues agreed. US Sonet. “Network management is “We all recognize the torrid growth superior end-user experience.” those with high-speed access is and the ways to address them. Klinker suggested that more stream- crucial and necessary for the success With more content and service pro- of bandwidth-intensive video and apgrowing larger by the day. That’s according to The Fiber-to-the- viders demanding more bandwidth plications on the Internet,” said Erik ing options, instead of direct down- of new broadband applications and services.” Home (FTTH) Council, a coalition of every day to deliver movies, TV shows Klinker, chief technical officer of Bit- loads, would help free bandwidth. T RANK TOP 5 TITLE E LE C T R O NI C SELLT H R OUG H Week ended May 24, 2008 RELEASE DATE VIDEO LABEL GENRE TOP 5 RANK TITLE E L E C TRO N I C S E L L THRO U GH Week ended May 25, 2008 RELEASE DATE VIDEO LABEL GENRE 1 2 3 4 5 Untraceable Cloverfield The Golden Compass Pitch Black First Sunday 5/13/08 4/22/08 4/29/08 3/25/08 5/6/08 Sony Pictures Paramount New Line Universal Sony Pictures Thriller Sci-Fi Fantasy Sci-Fi Comedy Source: Movielink 1 2 3 4 5 National Treasure: Book of Secrets Untraceable The Invincible Iron Man Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest Cloverfield 5/20/08 5/13/08 1/23/07 2/18/08 4/22/08 Disney Sony Pictures Lionsgate Fox Paramount Adventure Thriller Animated Comedy Sci-Fi Source: CinemaNow TOP 5 RANK TITLE E LE CT R O NIC D OW NLOAD S Week ended May 24, 2008 RELEASE DATE VIDEO LABEL GENRE TOP 5 RANK TITLE E L E C TRO N I C DO WN L O A DS Week ended May 25, 2008 RELEASE DATE VIDEO LABEL GENRE 1 2 3 4 5 Juno Sweeney Todd P.S. I Love You There Will Be Blood In the Name of the King 5/14/08 5/16/08 5/6/08 5/23/08 5/14/08 Fox Para./DreamWorks Warner Paramount Fox Comedy Musical Romance Drama Fantasy Source: Movielink 1 2 3 4 5 Juno Sweeney Todd In the Name of the King P.S. I Love You There Will Be Blood 5/14/08 5/16/08 5/14/08 5/6/08 5/23/08 Fox Para./DreamWorks Fox Warner Paramount Comedy Musical Fantasy Romance Drama Source: CinemaNow 12 Home Media Magazine June 1–7, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - June 1-7, 2008

Home Media Magazine - June 1-7, 2008 Contents News Gay/Lesbian Reviews TV DVD Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced

Home Media Magazine - June 1-7, 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.