Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - (Page 7) www.homemediamagazine.com ELECTRONIC DELIVERY DOWNLOADTO-OWN February 25, 2009 LABEL RANK By Erik Gruenwedel omcast Corp. said it will bow a Web-based video-on-demand (VOD) service featuring premium content by the end of the year. The Philadelphia-based largest cable provider in the United States would brand the service — a workin-process dubbed internally OnDemand Online — featuring new content from the other cable networks, including HBO, Discovery Channel and Showtime. Specific licensing deals, technological issues and business model are still being discussed, according to spokesperson Jennifer Khoury. “We think online on-demand is an opportunity to give customers access to videos currently not offered on the Web,” she said. Comcast already offers cable VOD of major movies the same day as the DVD release. Separately, Time Warner Cable is exploring similar options aimed at retaining subscribers during the current recession. All the major cable providers Comcast to Bow Online VOD C have reported declines in the number of subscribers and purchases of premium content. Indeed, Charter Communications recently filed for bankruptcy protection, citing downturns in the economy. The moves come as digital distribution of TV shows and movies online is considered an attractive incremental revenue alternative for content holders in the face of declining network ad sales, cable subs and DVD sales. As a result select Web-based VOD services are aggressively marketing themselves. CBS Corp. said it would offer sameday online streams of college basketball’s annual “March Madness” for the first time in high-definition. Last year’s tournament generated $24 million in ad-revenue for CBS.com. Hulu.com, the co-founded streaming site from NBC Universal and News Corp., parent of 20th Century Fox Studios, last week began restricting its content (citing license agreements) to select third-party sites, notably Boxee. com and CBS-owned TV.com. Boxee offers free software for Apple computers, including Apple TV, which COMCAST, U2 OFFER EXCLUSIVE HD MUSIC VIDEOS By Erik Gruenwedel omcast Corp. said it would broadcast in high-definition the music video to U2’s new single “Get On Your Boots” from the rock group’s forthcoming 12th studio album, No Line on the Horizon, which streets March 3. The No. 1 U.S. cable operator said the video, along with 50 of U2’s other videos and filmed concerts, would be available on demand in its “Top Picks” section, under “U2 HD”. Comcast also is streaming 20 of U2’s music videos in HD at www.comcast.net/music. Comcast, which has 24.2 million monthly subscribers, claims its members watch upwards of 60 million music videos per month. the owners of Hulu likely didn’t appreciate, said Phil Leigh, analyst with InsideDigitalMedia.com. He said that with increased connectivity between the TV and computer, Hulu, in effect, was abetting its competition with free content earmarked for an HDTV — a destination Leigh said News Corp. and NBC Universal have no desire to visit at the moment. “[Boxee permitted] Apple TV users to get Internet video at many sites instead of merely iTunes and watch them on the TV,” he said. “Consumers will discover that laptops and flat-panel TVs have common connections.” Hulu is repurposing network content minutes after its primetime broadcasts. It also has about 100 movies. “I think the market is coming around to the idea that the value and margins for this new streaming market will reside with those that control the customer,” said independent analyst Rob Enderle. “The entity that provides the most cost-effective service can influence [the market] and get the revenue. Hulu wants to be that entity.” TITLE 1 Twilight (preorder) 2 Sex Drive 3 High School Musical 3 4 Oktapodi Summit Summit Disney Talantis 5 Madagascar: Escape … Para./DW Source: iTunes RENTAL DOWNLOADS February 25, 2009 LABEL RANK TITLE 1 Body of Lies 2 Changeling 3 Pineapple Express 4 Choke 5 My Best Friend’s Girl Warner Universal Sony Pictures Fox Lionsgate Source: iTunes Week ended February 22, 2009 RANK DOWNLOADTO-OWN LABEL TITLE 1 The Dark Knight 2 Get Smart Warner Warner 3 Journey to the Center … Warner 4 Sex and the City: The Movie Warner 5 Star Wars: The Clone Wars Warner Source: CinemaNow BRIEFS I RENTRAK BOWS MOVIE SOFTWARE FOR IPHONE, IPOD Rentrak Corp. has launched software that enables Apple iPhone and iPod Touch owners to receive movie box office data, film synopsis, search function, release calendar and actor/director information. The Portland, Ore.-based datatracking company said the FilmScope software, which is the first consumer application from its nascent theatrical unit, also allows users to read reviews and buy movie tickets. — Erik Gruenwedel Vudu Offers High-Def VOD By John Latchem wners of Vudu’s Internet Movie Player can now purchase downloadable 1080p high-definition movies on-demand. Vudu is the first on-demand service to offer 1080p movies for download to own, according to the company. Previously customers could only rent HD movies from on-demand services. Vudu now offers 50 movies for download-to-own, in addition to its library of I REPORT: BRITISH PREFER AMAZON FOR DOWNLOADS Move over, iTunes. Amazon appears to be currying favor among Britons who download music, videos and games, according to a new report. Strategy Analytics said that in a survey of 515 broadband users, Amazon’s Unbox and video-ondemand services rated superior to Apple iTunes, Microsoft’s MSN Network, eBay — Erik Gruenwedel and others. RANK O 1,400 HD streaming titles. First Look, Kino and Magnolia are among the studios offering downloadable content. Available movies include First Look’s Transsiberian and War, Inc., and Magnolia’s Oscar-winning documentary Man on Wire. The movies are priced between $13.99 and $23.99. The titles can be stored on the consumer’s Vudu box or in the online Vudu vault. Week ended February 22, 2009 TITLE LABEL RENTAL DOWNLOADS 1 Body of Lies 2 Changeling 3 Nights in Rodanthe 4 Wall-E 5 Eagle Eye Warner Universal Warner Disney Para./DW Source: CinemaNow I AT&T OFFERS ‘MARCH MADNESS’ STREAMS AT&T Wireless is offering its 3G mobile phone customers free video streams of all 63 games in the 2009 NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball championship (“March Madness”), from March 19 to April 6. A company spokesperson said the streams would be available to all AT&T’s mobile TV customers. The company’s cell phone manufacturers include LG, Samsung, Blackberry and Palm. — Erik Gruenwedel I ‘MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE’ OFFERED ON PHONES Cellular company Alltel Wireless has Paramount Digital Entertainment’s “Mission: Impossible” trilogy included on 2GB microSD cards, free with the purchase of a Samsung Delve phone. The deal is available until April 16, with customers redeeming the microSD cards via a mail-in card. Samsung has set up a Web site for the promotion at www.samsung. com/missionexcitement. — Chris Tribbey RANK U.S. TV VIEWING UP IN Q4 2008 By Chris Tribbey DIGITAL COPY BY CATEGORY Title Release Category New Theatrical (1997-Current) Direct-to-video Features Theatrical Catalog (pre-1997) Foreign Language TV Series (single-disc) Total Total* 103 19 11 1 1 135 Week ended February 22, 2009 TITLE LABEL DOWNLOADTO-OWN I VIZ’S ‘BLUE DRAGON’ ON XBOX LIVE AND ITUNES Anime company Viz Media is offering one of its new titles on Xbox Live and iTunes. The first episode of “Blue Dragon” will be available to Xbox Live users for free, with each additional episode available on a download-to-own basis for 160 Microsoft Points. The first episode also will be free on iTunes from now — Chris Tribbey through March 10. I JAMAN PLAYS WITH OSCARS Expanding beyond online entertainment, Jaman.com took a shot at social networking during the Oscars Feb. 22, inviting its users to chat live about the Oscars on Facebook Connect. During Oscar week Jaman featured Man on Wire, which won Best Documen— Chris Tribbey tary. he average American watched more than 151 hours of TV per month during Q4 2008, an all-time high, according to The Nielsen Co. Additionally, Americans registered almost four hours a month watching mobile video, and another three watching Internet video. “Viewers appear to be choosing the best screen available for their video consumption,” said Susan Whiting, vice chair of Nielsen. Data from Nielsen’s report also shows: I Those with DVRs time-shifted more than seven hours of the content they consumed. I Other than the teen demographic, viewing of traditional TV increases with age. I Women watch more video on the Internet and on a traditional TV, while men are more likely to view mobile video. T 1 Quarantine 2 Religulous 4 Fireproof 5 Body of Lies Sony Pictures Lionsgate 3 Hellboy II: The Golden Army Universal Sony Pictures Warner Source: Blockbuster.com DIGITAL COPY BY STUDIO Studio Fox Sony Warner Lionsgate Universal Peace Arch Paramount/DreamWorks Disney Prairie Dog Productions Total Total* 42 37 22 9 8 6 5 5 1 135 Week ended February 22, 2009 RANK RENTAL DOWNLOADS LABEL TITLE 1 Body of Lies 2 Changeling 3 Nights in Rodanthe 4 My Best Friend’s Girl 5 Eagle Eye Warner Universal Warner Lionsgate * Includes both titles released and announced for delivery by 6/30/09 Source: The DVD Release Report Para./DW Source: Blockbuster.com March 2–8, 2009 Home Media Magazine http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.InsideDigitalMedia.com http://www.CBS.com http://www.Hulu.com http://www.TV.com http://www.comcast.net/music http://www.Blockbuster.com http://www.samsung.com/missionexcitement http://www.samsung.com/missionexcitement http://www.Jaman.com http://www.Blockbuster.com
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