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Starz broadens offerings by landing multitude of licensing deals
Aside from producing its own original series, Starz Entertainment is also looking to outsiders to broaden its content offerings. In a recent announcement, the channel discloses that it has just closed a multitude of deals that will net it a "bevy of first run and library titles from Summit, Lionsgate, Hallmark, IFC, the Samuel Goldwyn Co., First Look and Fremantle." Better still, that material can be distributed via a variety of methods including all 16 of its linear channels, Starz HD, Starz On Demand and Starz Play (its broadband video download service). Eager to know what titles these deals will bring? Try 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, By Dawn's Early Light, Call of the Wild, Bye Bye Birdie, Hound of the Baskervilles and Rear Window -- and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Starz Play content added to Netflix's streaming library
And the hits just keep on comin'. Merely hours after Netflix revealed that its API was open for all and just days after announcing deals with ABC and CBS, the firm is extending its reach once more with a fresh deal with Starz. As we're waiting for the ink to dry, the two have already fessed up to an agreement that will "make movies from Starz -- through its Starz Play broadband subscription movie service -- available to be streamed instantly at Netflix." Best of all, the additional content (over 2,500 new flicks eventually; 1,000 available now) will be included with Netflix members' current monthly subscription fee. For those who'd rather (we're talking all 2.5 of you), Netflix will soon offer a Starz Play-only subscription for $7.99 a month. Full release is after the fold.
Starz Entertainment producing first original series: "Crash"
With DirecTV churning out a respectable amount of original content for its exclusive The 101 channel, Starz Entertainment is looking to do the same for a wider audience. Dennis Hopper has been signed on to act in the company's first-ever original drama, which will be based on the Academy Award-winning picture Crash and will (very unimaginatively) be titled "Crash." The show, which will be co-produced with Lionsgate, has already begun production in New Mexico, and if all goes to plan, the premiere episode will air in October. [Image courtesy of StarPulse]
Starz Entertainment migrating to MPEG-4
Starz Entertainment has been making some pretty big moves of late, the most recent of which involves Motorola. The latter firm has announced that it will be "implementing a four-channel, high-definition MPEG-4/AVC encoding system" for Starz, which it will use to migrate away from its current MPEG-2 installations. It's reported that the change will enable Starz to "expand its HD offerings for subscribers," and as predicted, the system is being first implemented for the outfit's existing HD channels: Starz HD, Starz Kids and Family HD, Starz Edge HD and Starz Comedy HD. Oh, and if you were wondering, the recently unveiled Encore HD will be launched "concurrent with this migration."
Samsung's P2 gets certified for Vongo
It's not like we haven't seen PMPs certified for Vongo before, but considering just how sexy the P2 really is, we think the aforementioned video provider did itself a favor by teaming up with Samsung. As of today, P2 owners can surf on over to Vongo's website and begin using the subscription-based service for $9.99 per month, and for P2 owners to-be, you can look forward to a "trial membership" with an unspecified length. Huzzah!
