Pay cable channel that would compete with Showtime gets tepid industry reaction
April 22, 2008 by Jillian Cohan
Earlier this week, a trio of movie studios announced they were banding together to launch a new premium cable channel that would compete with Showtime, HBO and their ilk. The joint venture of Viacom, MGM and Lions Gate would include movies from each of the studio’s lists plus original programming. It would have a video-on-demand component, too.
A few years ago, such a partnership might’ve been a true threat to Showtime and the already crippled HBO. But now movies are less and less important to anchor a pay channel’s lineup, since people can rent them through on-demand digital cable. And original series can be a gamble if they generate boos instead of buzz, or worse — deafening silence when no one tunes in.
For some perspective on the deal, check out the stories after the jump.
–A look at why movies aren’t enough to carry a cable channel, in the Wall Street Journal
–Five questions studio execs should address about online and on-demand, from NewTeeVee
–A look at the winners and losers in the deal, according to Defamer
bad move by showtime not reuping their movie contracts. showtime needs some movies to go with its shows case in point starz shows mainly movies and has more subs than showtime It is sad because showtime has made some great shows recently, but i am afraid showtime will be off the air in about 5 years