Early in 2006, you'll be able to select NBC Universal (GE), (V) movies, such as "Ray," "The Motorcyle Diaries," and "Cinderella Man," or television specials such as "Jerry Springer: Uncensored" from Wurld Media owned Peer Impact P2P service.
This was not the first move in this area. It comes after America Online and Warner Brothers announced in2TV, which will provide television episodes (of older series) via P2P. Earlier in November, NBC Universal had already moved to provide certain NBC programs available to users of DirecTV's (DTV) new digital video recorder for 99 cents per episode. The programs would not carry commercials. Viacom's CBS Television Network has also announced a deal with cable giant Comcast Corp. (CMCSK). That deal will include commercials.
Under the NBC Universal/Wurld Media deal, the selected movies will be available via the protected P2P Peer Impact network.
Pricing is unknown yet, but the offer will primarily include titles hat are available on pay-per-view and video-on-demand services. There is not, at the moment, a proposal on TV series.
Users will be able to view the content for a period of 24 hours,and it will be stored on the computer during 30 days, in order to hasten downloads for other Peer Impact customers.
This is a new game, probably meaning a radical shift in the movie industry since it gives a new legitimacy to the P2P technology, when compared with the bad reputation of Napster, Kazaa and others -a major problem was the notoriously unsecure, crippled with ad- and spyware. Wurld Media has always stuck to the delivery of authorized content. On the other hand, Hollywood majors may see a new business opportunity, thus recognising that times may have changed.
Any comment? email didier@cinenow.com