RHI releases films to VOD first

Comcast and Time Warner are both doing tests of simultaneous VOD and DVD release with every major studio except Sony in Denver and Pittsburgh. Participant Lionsgate disclosed in a recent conference call with analysts that the test will expand to Atlanta this fall.

https://www.videobusinesss.com/article/CA6471735.html?industryid=43290&q=%2C+

Cable subscriptions will rise little on digital switch

MARCH 27 | Blockbuster, Netflix and other DVD-rental services may have found an unlikely ally in the U.S. switch to digital broadcasting next year: the federal government.

https://www.videobusinesss.com/article/CA6545683.html

Everything old is new again

, the first Nintendo and Sega players. Nearly 10 years later at The Hollywood Reporter, I covered the launch of next-generation systems by Nintendo and the Sony PlayStation.

https://www.videobusinesss.com/article/CA6277070.html?q=%2C+

TURNING UP THE HD HEAT

JUNE 4 | WASHINGTON--The House Commerce Committee held another hearing here last week to examine the halting progress in the Congressionally mandated transition from analog to digital and high-definition broadcasting in the U.S.

https://www.videobusinesss.com/article/CA614188.html?q=%2C+

SBC, EchoStar bring TV, Internet closer

AUG. 20 | In the latest effort to link the Internet to the TV set, SBC Communications and satcaster EchoStar Communications will jointly develop a new set-top box allowing users to download and store movies in addition to receiving TV signals.

https://www.videobusinesss.com/article/CA613323.html?industryid=47214

Digeo hires Fidler as CEO

AUG. 8 | Longtime Sony and Pioneer consumer electronics executive Mike Fidler has been named CEO of Kirkland, Wash.-based digital video recorder company Digeo, Inc. Fidler, who fills a position that has been vacant since April, brings the experience he gained with Sony in the launch of TiVo.

https://www.videobusinesss.com/article/CA633160.html?industryid=47275

THE ANSWER MAN

NOV. 2 | Item #1: The two satellite TV services in this country collectively reach fewer than 25% of all homes with cable and/or satellite, which is nearly 10 million fewer homes than have DVD players. News Corp.

https://www.videobusinesss.com/article/CA619076.html?q=

Report: Obstacles to VOD growth breaking down

JUNE 27 | Thanks to a renewed interest in interactive TV from cable operators, revenue for video-on-demand should start climbing this year from $65 million to almost $2 billion in 2005, according to a report by the Yankee Group.

https://www.videobusinesss.com/article/CA619649.html?q=

NEW SIDE DISH

After training 15,000 store employees as "DirecTV specialists," the chain last week rolled out interactive DirecTV demonstration kiosks in about 3,000 stores with a fair amount of fanfare and a deal offering one free rental a week for a year with the purchase of a complete satellite system for $200.

https://www.videobusinesss.com/article/CA621102.html?q=

Pay-per-views: Time Warner seeking vid windows for VOD

, Time Warner has approached the major studios about having feature movies debut on its prototype video-on-demand systems at the same time as the movie's home video release. Sources close to the situation said Time Warner Cable sister company Warner Bros.

https://www.videobusinesss.com/article/CA620903.html