Blockbuster Inc. and TiVo Inc. today announced a partnership to deliver Blockbuster’s library of premium digital movie titles directly to the television set via TiVo DVRs.
BLOCKBUSTER OnDemand, featuring content to both buy and rent, will be integrated into TiVo Series2, Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL DVRs. TiVo DVRs will be sold at thousands of Blockbuster stores nationwide as well as online at blockbuster.com, giving both companies new distribution outlets and putting TiVo DVRs and BLOCKBUSTER OnDemand front and center of where video shopping takes place. Additionally, the companies will implement a cross-marketing campaign.
“We are excited to be teaming with TiVo, the company that created the DVR, to make Blockbuster’s entertainment content readily available to their millions of subscribers,” said Jim Keyes, Blockbuster Chairman and CEO, in the press release. “Ultimately, our vision is to work with TiVo so that their subscribers can access movies not only through our OnDemand service but also from our stores and through our by-mail service as well. Regardless of a film’s availability – through VOD or on DVD – we want to work with TiVo to provide their subscribers unprecedented access to movie content.”
“Joining with Blockbuster further distinguishes TiVo as a true universal solution for content providers, making it a one stop shop for any content thru broadband or linear distribution straight to the TV,” said Tom Rogers, President and CEO of TiVo Inc., in the press release. “When consumers walk into one of the thousands of Blockbuster stores entertainment for the home is on their minds — it could not be more natural to have them exposed to the world of millions of entertainment possibilities for the home that the TiVo Service provides.”
The companies expect to have the BLOCKBUSTER OnDemand service integrated into TiVo DVRs in the second half of 2009.
For more information on BLOCKBUSTER OnDemand delivered via the TiVo service visit www.tivo.com/blockbuster
Source: Blockbuster, Inc.
Franklin Paul reports for Reuters, “Blockbuster joins rival Netflix and Amazon.com, which also provide online video straight to TiVo users’ TVs…You will see us in a large number of other devices going forward,’ said Kevin Lewis, senior vice president of digital entertainment at Blockbuster, who added that the company also plans to makes its system available to Apple Inc’s products. ‘We need to be in the normal places that consumers want to watch movies,’ he said.”
Paul reports, “About 10,000 movies will be available when the service launches in the latter half of this year. Most rental films on Blockbuster.com today cost about $2 to $4, while purchased movies start at less than $10.”
Paul reports, “Blockbuster claimed that its roster of movies on TiVo will outshine that of online choices available at Netflix and Amazon. Indeed, while Amazon and Netflix have more videos available in total, most are older titles, whereas Blockbuster.com offers many more recent hits.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Uh, you did plan it, but then Steve checked out Reuters.com this morning… Loose lips sink ships – and Apple deals.
Maybe Jobs will give them a break. Anything that increases the content available on Apple TV and/or iTunes Store is a good thing.
