Home Media Magazine - June 1-7, 2008 - (Page 28)

NEWS www.homemediamagazine.com Netflix Picks Up Exclusive DVD Rights to Gay-Themed Content By Chris Tribbey etflix has landed exclusive rights to several titles from gay and lesbian channel Logo, a division of Viacom Inc’s MTV Networks. The two are also actively acquiring new titles for distribution. Under the deal, Logo original programming will available on DVD exclusively from Netflix, with the rental company promoting Logo titles to ‘Steel City’ Star at Ft. Lewis N subscribers interested in gay and lesbian content. Logo also is getting a promotional spot on the Netflix Web site, and is paying the favor back with on-air promotions and ads on LogoOnline.com. “Wisecrack,” “Curl Girls” and “Visible Vote 08: A Presidential Forum” will be the first titles on DVD. “Netflix is committed to expanding the reach of a broad range of diverse content using multiple channels to speak to varied audiences,” said Liesl Copland, head of Netflix’s original content division. “Through such ventures, we are able to broaden our scope by becoming a destination for contemporary and relevant material which grants audiences immediate access to hard-to-find programming through our DVD and streaming platforms.” Netflix Plans Move From Disc to Streaming Continued from page 1 for another 20 years … but I don’t think there’s going to be another physical optical disc.” Last month, Netflix launched a $99 TV set-top box for streaming movies, but Hastings admitted that the company has to contend with a lot of digital delivery competitors who have gotten a head start. “Our DVD shipments will probably peak in five to 10 years … the streaming can be thought of as defensive, protecting our turf, or offensive,” he said. Netflix’s online streaming service is offered for free to subscribers and has 10% of the more than 100,000 titles the company offers on DVD. Hastings predicted the company could draw more than 20 million subscribers to its streaming service, compared to the 10 million DVD-bymail rental subscribers the company aims to have by 2009. Hastings said Netflix aims to have between 5 million and 10 million Netflix-connected TV households by the end of 2009. Streaming would allow for the elimination of postage — that’s one-third of the company’s overhead, he said. Hastings said Netflix will slowly, but steadily, spend more on its streaming services in the next few years. Still, cable and satellite may be more competition. Only 3% of the people who quit the service do so because they are downloading or streaming video, while 35% quit because they’re satisfied with cable or satellite, and 32% quit in favor of other rental services, according to Netflix. After the presentation, analyst Lloyd Walmsley of Thomas Weisel Partners downgraded Netflix due to increased competition from Blockbuster Inc. He pinned the stock at $35, according to The Associated Press. Netflix was responsible for $1.2 billion in rental revenue in 2007, compared to Blockbuster’s $2.4 billion, Netflix executives noted. Tom Guiry, the star of Steel City, released on DVD May 6 from Peace Arch Entertainment, met and signed autographs for more than 600 military personnel and troops at the Ft. Lewis Army Base outside Seattle, Wa., in early May. (L-R): Aleisha Bartel, VP of sales at Peace Arch Entertainment; Guiry; and Patrick McGhee, GM at Army & Air Force Exchange Service. Google Filing Cites DMCA Continued from page 1 have appeared on YouTube, including clips from MTV and Comedy Central. “By seeking to make carriers and hosting providers liable for Internet communications, Viacom’s complaint threatens the way hundreds of millions of people legitimately exchange information, news, entertainment, and political and artistic expression,” court papers filed by Google stated. “Defendants admit that YouTube encourages users to upload video clips to the service that the users have the right to upload, and that clips uploaded to the service are typically available for viewing free of charge by members of the public who have Internet access.” Google is resting its case on the protections of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), saying the 1998 federal law protects YouTube’s content because the company responds to complaints of copyright violations by removing the suspect content. Disney, Viacom Execs Tout VOD Offerings Continued from page 1 venture that will distribute films from Paramount Pictures, MGM and Lionsgate across multiple channels post-theatrical. He said Cloverfield would be the first film to be distributed under the new venture in November, but didn’t offer details on distribution channels. MGM and Lionsgate content would follow in 2009, he said. The venture promises high-def, mobile and Internet distribution. “There’s nothing like owning your content and controlling your destiny,” he said. “And we own a hell of a lot of content. “We had this unique opportunity to look at that (post-theatrical) window … and not deal with a middle man. We assured ourselves revenue with all the new technology. This service will be available on the very first day these movies come out … We have never seen this much interest so quickly at the senior level from distributors.” The venture is widely regarded as leverage against Showtime Networks, whose deal for post-theatrical distribution with the studios expires Jan. 1, 2009. Meanwhile, Iger said programming networks need to adapt to changing times and changing distribution methods by providing more VOD options. “I actually believe that consumers, particularly young consumers, are going to be much less tolerant of basically accessing or getting programming in a linear form on a traditional network, and much more demanding of the product that they get in a video-on-demand form, meaning individually,” he said. “And if you’re not in that space, you get marginalized. You have to be there.” Iger went on to say that VOD should eventually be fully day-and-date with DVD, and distributors should offer not only new releases, but also as much catalog as possible. “Congress recognized that such services could not and would not exist if they faced liability for copyright infringement based on materials users uploaded to their services,” the Google filing stated. “It chose to immunize these services from copyright liability provided they are properly responsive to notices of alleged infringement from content owners. “Looking at the online world today, there is no question that Congress made the correct policy choice. Legitimate services like YouTube provide the world with free and authorized access to extraordinary libraries of information that would not be available without the DMCA — information created by users who have every right to share it. YouTube fulfills Congress’s vision for the DMCA. YouTube also fulfills its end of the DMCA bargain, and indeed goes far beyond its legal obligations in assisting content owners to protect their works.” Google also asked for a dismissal of Viacom’s suit. Amazon Continued from page 1 conference, Bezos said the streaming service wouldn’t be free, but didn’t offer a price range for videos. “[Internet streaming] is a much more different business in some ways because there are so many different [companies],” he said. Bezos added that he hopes that “streaming capabilities will one day be built into the TV sets.” Blockbuster Going Digital Continued from page 1 in select Blockbuster stores in June, let consumers download movies to portable devices in less than two minutes. The downloads work only with Archos portable media devices. However, Blockbuster is aiming to have its kiosks eventually download to most portable media devices. The company hopes to roll out the kiosks to all stores within three years. Keyes also mentioned the proposed $1 billion takeover of electronics retailer Circuit City, but he did not offer a timeline. “Acquiring Circuit City aligns with our goals to expand our product offerings and provide customers with complete entertainment solutions,” a company representative said in the investor presentation. Besides striving for a larger pres- ence in the digital realm, Blockbuster is redesigning some stores to better emphasize games and electronic sales. The company also is upping Blu-ray Disc’s presence in its stores, with more demonstration displays and players next to the software. Blockbuster also shared statistics showing that by stocking more new releases at its brick-and-mortar stores, the company saw positive, domestic same-store rental sales for the first time in five years. HOME MEDIA MAGAZINE (ISSN 1934-9882) is published weekly 51 times per year (weekly except for one week at the end of December) by Questex Media Group, Inc., 306 West Michigan Street, Suite 200, Duluth, MN 55802. Subscription rates: $49.99 for one year in the United States and Possessions; $79.99 for one year in Canada and Mexico; all other countries $99.99 for one year (by surface mail). Add $75 annually for air-expedited service. Single copies (prepaid only): $6.99 in the United States, $8.99 in Canada and Mexico, $13.99 all other countries. Back issues, if available: $9.99 in the U.S.; $15.99 in Canada and Mexico; $26.99 for all other countries. Include $6.50 per order plus $2 per additional copy for U.S. postage and handling. Periodicals postage paid at Duluth MN 55806 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to HOME MEDIA MAGAZINE, P.O. Box 1270, Skokie, IL 60076-8270. Canadian G.S.T. number: 840033278RT0001, Publications Mail Agreement Number 40017597. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright, 2008 Questex Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including by photocopy, recording or information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. HOME MEDIA MAGAZINE does not verify any claims or other information appearing in any of the advertisements contain http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://LogoOnline.com

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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

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