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Joining Movielink in the biz, the new service will offer video-on-demand online:
- The new online movie subscription service, Starz On Demand, will have robust copyright protection and also allow users to enjoy high-quality video playback, said RealNetworks Chief Executive Rob Glaser.
“I would call it a natural progression, videos on the Internet,” Glaser told Reuters, adding that digital rights management technology would be built into the new movie service.
Starz Encore, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corp, said that more than 100 movies would be offered each month to subscribers for a “low monthly fee,” but did not provide more specific details on pricing.
Last month, five top Hollywood studios lifted the curtain on Movielink, an online box office that will also deliver movies over the Web.
Movielink allows users to download movies online for $2 to $5. The downloaded movies can be stored on computer hard drives for up to 30 days without being played — once played, they must be viewed within 24 hours before being deleted.
Without those built-in protections, which weren’t incorporated into digital music files, the movie industry would suffer the same fate as the music industry, said John Sie, founder, chairman and CEO of Starz Encore.
Films available on Starz On Demand will be the same titles available on the Starz Encore’s scheduled cable and satellite services and the video on demand service as offered by cable operators. [Reuters]
Competition is good, but other than during travel, I can’t imagine sitting in front of my computer to watch a movie. But what do I know?
