Disney signs movie downloads deal
- Added:
- Jul 25, 2003
The deal gives Movielink access to film titles from all the major studios except one - Twentieth Century Fox Studios - and boosts its library of digitized films to around 400 from the 175 the company had when it launched eight months ago.
Movielink, a joint venture by Vivendi Universal, Sony Pictures, MGM, Paramount Pictures and Universal, allows US broadband internet users to download and watch movies over the internet. Films cost between $2.95 and $4.95, and can only be viewed up to 24 hours after download.
The new films will be available from Disney's studio empire, which includes Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Miramax and Dimension Films.
Among the first releases will be "Gangs of New York," "Chicago" and "The Jungle Book 2." The first batch of Disney titles will be available from August once they have to be transferred to a format for downloading.
The Movielink site is Hollywood's effort to dissuade users from downloading films illegally and avoid the wide spread file-sharing problems that have cost the record labels millions.
Earlier this week, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) launched a series of 'educational' television adverts in a bid to build consumer awareness about digital piracy, which it claims cost Hollywood more than £1.86m in potential revenues last year after more than 500 films were downloaded illegally.
11 November 2002:
"www.movelink.com ":http://www.movelink.com
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