Thread: warner: Thanks for the $400 mill--not betting the farm on Boo-Ray either

Time Warner Goes 'Day & Date' For VOD

Screw downloads... day and date VOD/PPV would obliviate the need to drive to the store for a movie or even wait for a red/blue envelope. My only issue with the cable/sat stuff is that it is always open matte or zoomed for things w/ an OAR higher than 1.85:1. The multichannel providers have black bar phobia!

News
Time Warner Goes 'Day & Date' For VOD
Movies will be released the same day as the DVD.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (May 2, 2008) -- Time Warner has decided to release all Video on Demand titles on the same day they are available on DVD in video stores.

The VOD titles will include some movies in High-Definition.

Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes made the disclosure Wednesday in an investors call following the company's first quarter report.

The company has tested 'day & date' video releases on Comcast and its cable unit, Time Warner Cable. Bewkes said the experiment has been so successful that it's time to make it across the board.

The decision is likely to be controversial with video retailers claiming it would hurt their business. Without the head-start traditionally given to DVD releases, consumers may opt to buy the VOD movie instead, particularly if it's available in high-def.

Bewkes, however said DVD sales were up during the 'day & date' trial, albeit slightly, suggesting that some VOD purchasers are buying the hard disc after watching the movie at home.

Time Warner must work out some 'day & date' with cable and satellite providers before it's implemented so Bewkes did not give a launch date.

Now that’s a serious nail in the BD coffin. Do I smell niche format. Looks like the small window of opportunity for HDM that WB didn’t want to miss just got shut in their face, self inflicted. Makes their decision to stab Toshiba in the back look stupid. Looked like Sony got duped out of $400,000,000.

I and J6P would much rather pay $4.95 a pop for HD VOD then $30 for a BD, considering that most movies are watched only once anyway.

This should drive BD movie prices down.

I doubt that it will really affect BD, but it will really have an affect on BlockBuster and Netflix. Same day on PPV really will hurt rentals.