On Demand Weekly

Did you know you are part of 40 million strong and growing? There are over 40 million US households with Video On Demand (VOD) via cable and it’s projected to grow to over 60 million by 2011! That’s more than Netflix subscribers and Wii owners combined [CAN YOU THINK OF ANOTHER HOME ENTERTAINMENT OPTION?]. This makes VOD one of the fastest growing home entertainment options and nobody is talking about it. Until now…
On Demand Weekly (ODW) is the first and only online publication dedicated to the rising VOD consumer market. There were over 3 billion VOD orders in 2008. They consisted of your favorite TV Shows, Movies, Sports, Kids Programming, Music Videos and so much more. But with so many VOD programming options available to the digital cable subscriber, the messaging and choices can be confusing. ODW is here to simplify and promote VOD with the following features:

What do Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers and a Horror film have in common? Are they going to star as unwitting prey in a horror film? No, but I’ll reserve judgment on whether they should or not for now. Their films are breaking ground for 3D video-on-demand (VOD) to the home via Comcast.

• Last August, Comcast tested the 3D format with Hannah Montana: The Best of Both Worlds.
• Lionsgate’s My Bloody Valentine was offered to subscribers in July
• Disney returns with Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience [date tbd].

In another step to bring the preeminent U.S. film festival to film fans living outside of Park City, UT, Robert Redford has announced Sundance Selects, a new video-on-demand (VOD) service offering films and documentaries. The films will be available to digital subscribers of Comcast, Cox and Cablevision, often available the same day in theaters. The exciting new indie film option will make its VOD debut on August 26 with Spike Lee's new documentary, "Passing Strange: The Movie," which premiered at the 2009 Sundance festival. The film records the Broadway musical of the same name that tells of a young black man finding his way in life.

At Sundance, increasing the size of the market for independent film has always been our mission, in addition to just giving exposure to new voices, so this allows us to electronically take that vision to a broader group," Redford told Reuters.

On Demand Weekly recently attended the 3^rd Annual New TeeVee Live conference in San Francisco. Here’s our take on what occurred.

 

3 topics that may affect ON Demand TV

1. Why besides Comcast, no other MVPDs [Time Warner, Cox, Verizon, DirecTV, Dish] had a presence @ NTVL?

ODW: Missed opportunity to speak to Silicon Valley?

2. Brian Fuhrer, SVP, Nielsen sees new digital video efforts (ie TV Everywhere) as "The Extended Screen."

ODW: How will they incorporate new technology into their ratings system?

3. Amy Banse, President of Comcast Interactive Media advocates for Nielsen to include On Demand & Time Shifting Views into their overall ratings?

ODW: Will they?

 

5 most interesting speakers at New TeeVee Live

ODW rounds up stories affecting the VOD Industry.

From the arthouse to your house

…thanks to video on demand (VOD), cable TV subscribers now can watch some of the latest indie films from the comfort of their own couch. (Star Tribune)

 

The undignified near-death of Miramax

…companies like Magnolia, Sony Pictures Classics, IFC and Zeitgeist, who focus on marketing quality films to niche audiences, are now in a stronger position. (Salon)

 

Comcast Spotlight's "Video Circulars On Demand" Converts Retailers' Print Advertising into VOD Assets

Comcast's advertising sales arm, Comcast Spotlight, on Wednesday announced a new service, called Video Circulars On Demand, which takes retailers' print advertising materials--including weekly newspaper inserts ("circulars"), display ads and catalogs--and converts them into on-demand video slideshows. (iTVt)

Congratulations to SnagFilms, Disney & the Smithsonian Channel. And New York Times, how about showing some love to our coverage of the On Demand industry??? - ODW

 

On-Demand Options for Hard-to-Find Films

Serious moviegoers may still see on-demand channels as a dumping ground for films that were in theaters six months ago or weren’t good enough to be in theaters at all. But as more and more “small,” serious films fight for screen time, a few distributors are starting to see on-demand television as a first option — which means that the quality of on-demand offerings is beginning to rise... (New York Times)

 

SnagFilms to Expand Library’s Reach to New Platforms

Documentary distribution outlet SnagFilms—the parent company of indieWIRE—will unveil later today an expansion of the platforms for its nonfiction titles that is timed to its second anniversary, as well as deals with a range of companies for more films. Snag will bring its library of 1,500-plus films to a suite of new sources beyond the original web platform upon which it was launched. New outlets will include the creation of VOD channels with cable network Comcast and Verizon FiOS TV… (IndieWIRE)

 

 

'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Road Rally' Makes Linear Debut Sept. 7, Flanked By On-Demand, Mobile Presentations

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Road Rally is set to make its Disney Channel debut on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m., the same day the program will be available for purchase on DVD from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

The 50-minute special, though, will benefit from a full-length preview on Disney Channel On Demand on Aug. 31... (Multichannel News)

 

CBS, Comcast Sign 10-Year Contract to Carry TV Shows

The contract also provides Comcast customers with Showtime Networks, the new Smithsonian channel, expanded distribution of CBS College Sports and more on-demand access to CBS and Showtime online and on TV... (Bloomberg)

 

Previous On Demand & Links - ODW

Time-Shifting and On Demand TV use continue to rise according to Comcast's annual TV Pulse Survey (8/17/10).

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

COMCAST’S ANNUAL “TV PULSE SURVEY” SHOWS THE DRAMA GENRE AND NEW HAWAII FIVE-O ARE THE MOST-ANTICIPATED ‘WHAT TO WATCH’ THIS FALL TV SEASON

Time-Shifted Technology Usage Up More Than 60% from a Year Ago and 80% from Three Years Ago

"Time-shifting has hit the mainstream and is changing the way people watch TV,” said Diana Kerekes, Vice President of Entertainment Services for Comcast. “The results of our ‘TV Pulse Survey’ underscore more consumers are watching their favorite shows when and how they want to watch them."