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Netflix locks up Academy Award nominated exclusives from The Weinstein Company
If you're looking for more content to watch on Netflix's Watch Instantly streaming service -- especially since all those Starz movies are exiting stage left at month's end -- we have good news, as it just announced a multi-year exclusive deal with The Weinstein Company. The agreement covers foreign language, documentary and "certain other movies" that will be watchable in their pay-TV window only on Netflix, and not HBO or Showtime. That includes such high profile selections as The Artist, which is nominated for 17 Academy Awards this weekend and Best Documentary nominated Undefeated, as well as other flicks like Coriolanus and The Intouchables. Of course, this is still Netflix so while fans of subtitles and exposés may be sated, The Weinstein Company's more mainstream flicks and Dimension Films releases like Scream 4 aren't included, as they're still Showtime exclusives due to the deal it signed with the channel back in '08. Either way, more movies is more movies and you can check out all the details in the press release after the break, hopefully this deal works out better than HD DVD's exclusive Weinstein pact did back in the day.
Showtime Anytime now available to Verizon FiOS TV customers (hands-on)
Adding to Verizon FiOS TV's impressive lineup of streaming services bundled with its premium TV service, Showtime Anytime can now be access by FiOS TV subscribers. This deal also ensures subscribers will continue to able to add Showtime, The Movie Channel and Flix to their lineup through 2017. We took a quick look at the Showtime Anytime iPad app, originally launched in October, and found it very polished and easy to navigate.
Daily iPad App: Showtime Social
Showtime Networks recently released a social iPad app that'll let you explore Showtime's lineup of movie and television programs and share what you find with your Facebook or Twitter friends. The app has trailers, webisodes, photos and more from Showtime's movie and popular television shows like Dexter and Homeland. Not surprisingly, the app also lets you find and sign up for Showtime service. It's a social app that aggregates all the tweets and Facebook status updates in a stream that appears on the right side of the display. You can respond via those social networks and add your own real-time reaction with four preset emotions: happy, sad, shocked or angry. At the end of each show, this information will be compiled into a timeline that summarizes people's reactions to the program. Besides the preview and social features, Showtime Social includes scheduling information so you can view the TV show and movie lineup for the next couple of hours or the next few days. You can also use iOS's notification feature to remind you when a program is about to begin. This app serves as a sneak peek into Showtime's programming and will be an excellent compliment to Showtime's upcoming Showtime Anytime, a TV Everywhere service expected to launch in the next few weeks. The Showtime Social app is available for free from the App Store. [Via Engadget]
Showtime launches Anytime streaming portal, social iPad app
Just in time for the return of everyone's favorite serial killer, Showtime Anytime soft-launched recently, bringing online access to the network's library of movies, TV shows and more. Multichannel News reports AT&T U-verse subscribers are the first to gain access, although this same content has already been streaming on Comcast's Xfinity TV website and app. It's no HBO Go yet -- more cable companies and a few mobile apps will be necessary to match its rival there -- but the approach is the same, after pulling its shows from Netflix this TV Everywhere offering hopes to add enough value to keep viewers on the traditional pay-TV train a little longer. While there's no self-branded streaming app yet, the channel has also launched a Showtime Social iPad app to keep viewers tied in with their friends and other viewers while they watch -- let us know if it makes Dexter any more / less creepy.
Netflix adds Mad Men in the US today, CBS content in Canada and Latin America later
We're not sure how Don Draper would have sold a 60 percent price increase on your most popular service package but maybe Netflix executives can make a guess after they start watching the first four seasons of Mad Men today on Watch Instantly. Netflix's Lionsgate deal will keep reruns flowing for years to come, while a new agreement with CBS International is bringing its programming -- including Showtime shows like Dexter that were recently yanked from the US Netflix service -- to viewers in Canada (who already had Mad Men) and Latin America (where it locked up a cache of telenovelas yesterday). This CBS agreement is separate from their (also non-exclusive) US deal that brought Star Trek back, but international viewers will still get to both TOS and TNG, as well as shows like Twin Peaks and 90210. Check the press release after the break for more details on the international deal, the source link for a time warp back to 1960s NYC or hit the comments below to explain how canceling your $7.99 per month service is a stand against greedy corporations.
Boxee Box survey floats the possibility of premium channels, PPV sports
If you're wondering in which direction the developers over at Boxee may be thinking about heading you can consider the questions in the latest survey mailed out to users. The second round of questions gauges the interest people may have in subscribing to premium channels over the internet, like HBO or Showtime and how much they would be willing to pay, with another question focusing on the possibility of pay-per-view football games. Of course, actually negotiating for access to premium channels (HBO Go works through the browser after the v1.1 update) or anything NFL Sunday Ticket-related is a more complicated issue, but it is a possibility. Previous polls checked the temperature on features we've seen added like Netflix or a $199 price tag for the Boxee Box, and things that haven't shown up so far like CableCARD / OTA support or a version for videogame consoles. Get your opinion counted at the source link and yes, there is a write in portion for you to request updates for the PC version.
Vudu adds TV shows to its rental catalog, but only some are in HD
Here we go again with a good news / bad news announcement from Vudu, as it's added a nice catalog of TV shows to its library for rent and/or purchase. The bad news however, is that despite having the 1080p / 5.1 audio HDX technology we've come to know and love, it's currently only offering a small subset of them in anything other than standard definition. Like other online stores, there's an odd situation where some things are a decent value (season one of The Walking Dead is $26.99 on Blu-ray at Amazon, $15.99 on iTunes in HD, and $16.99 on Vudu HDX) and others are not (season six of Weeds is $27.99 on Vudu HDX, $23.99 on Blu-ray at Amazon and $38.87 on iTunes) so shop carefully. Given time the library will probably even out more in quality and price and once Vudu is available on more devices (and hopefully in HD on the PC at some point) there will be more reasons to consider it as a VOD option.
Netflix suffers temporary website outage today (fixed!), permanent Dexter outage this summer
The bad news is that our bulging tips box reports Netflix's website and Watch Instantly streaming service have been mostly inaccessible for the last couple of hours. Those lucky enough to have the page open from earlier may still have access, and devices based on older UIs are up and running while the newer HTML5 based frontends seem to be down for the count. The worse news is Crain's New York Business reported today that a new licensing deal with Showtime will not renew streaming access to older seasons of currently airing shows like Dexter and Californication when they expire this summer. Instead, their arrangement will cover shows that are off the air like The Tudors and Sleeper Cell. Showtime has decided to hold the fresher stuff back for its TV Everywhere portals accessible by pay-TV subscribers despite Netflix's best efforts to pitch itself as a friend to the premium networks, which could also explain its plan to start offering original content of its own next year. Wide outages like this have been relatively rare and while we'll just keep an eye on @NetflixHelps until it's back up, there's no telling what other blank spaces we might find in our instant streaming queues in the future. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: Things appear to be back to normal as of 10:30 p.m. EST or so, there's no official word via Twitter yet but between the commenters below and the episode of Firefly we're watching, it's all good. Wait -- Not so fast, while PC streaming is a go, devices are still mostly locked out. Per @NetflixHelps UPDATE: Streaming is back on the website. We're still working on getting streaming back to all devices. Thanks for your patience! Update 2: From @NetflixHelps - RESOLVED: The website and devices are back up and running. Thanks again for your patience while we worked to get this fixed!
Comcast adds Showtime to Xfinity TV online
Almost immediately after expanding its Xfinity TV online services by 150,000 titles, Comcast has announced with Showtime that over 400 hours of the channel's series and movies are now also available via the portal for paying Showtime subscribers. If you aren't keeping Dexter-like tabs on the we-offer-more-content-than-you cable playground banter, this partnership is a first for Showtime and a killer feature for Comcast. In fact, combined with their Starz, Encore, and older HBO and Cinemax online streaming deals, Xfinity TV will now also go down in the annals of history with another first as the only online destination to offer all of the major premium content providers under one cozy URL. As much as we're all for establishing records though, we'd still encourage Comcast to brainstorm on additional ways to keep paying customers -- that is, if it wants to avoid earning another title for losing the most subscribers two quarters in a row.
Showtime getting ready to go online?
What's a "premium" movie service these days without access on additional screens? Not much, which is probably why rumors indicate Showtime is about to follow EPIX HD and ESPN 3(no 60) by creating an online service for subscribers to view on their PCs and mobile devices. Don't expect to watch Weeds, Dexter and The Real L Word on your iPad just yet (except for what's already available on Netflix) as a spokeswoman had only a standard "nothing to announce to" offer Bloomberg Businessweek, but their sources indicate it will resemble the HBO GO service we tested out recently when it went live for Verizon FiOS TV customers. Heading online seems like a good followup to turning on interactive HDTV features, but we'll see if that's enough to keep viewers signing up for its service when there are so many alternatives available.
Showtime Sports Interactive debuts EBIF tags on HDTV tonight
We got out first taste of Enhanced TV Binary Interchange Format (EBIF) interactivity during these Winter Olympic games, but Showtime plans to turn things up by using it on the MPEG-4 HDTV feed during tonight's Strikeforce Challengers MMA event. Available only on Verizon's FiOS TV for now, it will let viewers pull up stats, trivia and respond to polls by pressing the "OK" button on their remotes. already have social plans for this evening? No problem, the next event with this tech is coming April 24 during the Super Six World Boxing Championship, leaving just enough time for you to recover from those wild Earth Day celebrations.
New Dexter trailer pushes iPhone's visual (and moral) boundaries
We use our iPhones for a wide variety of purposes: Keeping our enthralled Twitter audience informed, playing Home Run Derby MMOs, dueling with virtual lightsabers -- those sorts of things. We've never used it to play mobile murder simulators -- but by the look of the above trailer for Icarus Studios' Dexter, we'll be doing just that when the first episode of the game hits the App Store later this summer.Though it still seems to contain the scattershot gameplay that we saw earlier this year at GDC, it looks amazing for an iPhone game. If you're a fan of the show (and by all means, you should be), it might just be worth checking out.
PSA: 'Penn & Teller: Bullshit!' episode on video games airs this week, features Jack Thompson
The time has come, folks. This is the week that Jack Thompson compares violent video games to polio on broadcast television! Are you ready? We've known this episode of Penn & Teller: Bullshit! was on the way since way back in February but had no idea of when it would air until just today (this Thursday at 10 PM EST -- set your DVR!). If you're looking for some lunacy before the show lands on Showtime later this week, hit the break for a preview featuring the "fire triangle" you see above. Seriously.
Sony adds PSP access to PlayStation Network video store, 16 new content partners
Tucked in between the "worst kept secret" PSP Go and motion control demos at its E3 press conference, Sony also revealed new content for the PlayStation Network video service, and the ability to download video directly to the PSP, no PS3 or PC intermediary needed. No word on when to expect the new content exactly, but it will include video from Showtime Networks, Starz, G4 & E!, Summit Entertainment, The Weinstein Company, HDNet & Magnolia Pictures, Anime Network, Media Blasters, Right Stuf's Nozomi Entertainment, Starz Media's Manga Entertainment, Toei Animation, Viz Media, WEP, UFC, TNA and Video Action Sports. Looks like Sony will have easy on the go access to video store content up and running before Microsoft gets its Zune integration act together, but whether that compares to 1080p instant streaming promises remains to be seen (Hint: first one with direct Hulu access wins, we're just saying, guys.) Check out Sony's trailer embedded after the break.
The Tudors coming to a 'casual adventure/hidden object game' near you
In collaboration with Merscom, Showtime's The Tudors will be the channel's second property to get the video game treatment in the form of a "casual adventure/hidden object game," IGN reports. Joystiq asks: Why?Seriously, the game is going to parallel the events of the show, and how does that make for a good casual game? Henry VIII was one of the most scandalous men in history, and the show features plenty of adult themes (including naked adults), so how can the show be made into a mass-appeal casual game? Lloyd Melnick, CCO of Merscom, says The Tudors' story not only appeals to the casual gamer, but that "the rich and beautiful graphical environment lends itself to an adventure game." We guess that environment won't include the king's chambers ...No platforms have been announced yet, but we're placing our bets on at least the iPhone and PC.
Dexter: The Game: The Trailer for: The iPhone
Even though Dexter's iPhone -- and eventual PC release -- game debut has been put on hold until the summer his game trailer debut is happening right now. The trailer (found after the break) showcases ... well, nothing really. It's a few shots of Dex swinging a knife around wildly -- and quite out of character, might we add -- with a final shot of Showtime's lovable serial killer decked out in full Dark Passenger garb, requesting our silence and attention.Wait. Is he talking to us? Oh crap, he is. Listen, we didn't do that thing you think we did. Seriously, you can let us go now. Ow! That knife is sharp. Is that blood? We're not too good with the sight of ... uh oh ... passing out now.
Showtime's United States of Tara hitting Netflix Watch Instantly first
Boy, these content guardians sure are getting brave. First was Friday Night Lights debuting on DirecTV's The 101 weeks before network TV, and now Showtime's United States of Tara is scheduled to be available first via Netflix's Watch Instantly service. The series premiere will be made available on January 8th to Netflix subscribers, while it won't be aired on Showtime until Sunday, January 18th at 10:00PM. Also of note, it appears that the show will air on DirecTV's The 101 channel on January 9th, possibly indicating that Showtime is keenly interested in gauging interest in exclusive pre-launches. Finally, we're told that season premiers of The L Word and Secret Diary of a Call Girl will hit Netflix customers day-and-date (January 18th) with the network debuts. We're beginning to wonder if Netflix can do any wrong.[Thanks, Vanbrothers]
Pacquiao vs. de la Hoya bout marks the launch of Event TV HD
While you and your crew kick in a few bucks to catch the Pacquiao / de la Hoya fight tonight, keep in mind you're witnessing the launch of a new network, Event TV HD. The new high definition version of TVN's linear Pay-Per-View net promises to bring boxing, MMA and wrestling action in crisp 1080i and 5.1 surround. That usually includes All Day Event tickets if you want to see a replay, or themed programs during the week. TVN sells its package to cable, satellite and other providers who then pass the PPV on to you, so when Pacman takes this, remember who was responsible for bringing it to you.[Via Multichannel News]
FiOS HD video on-demand library tops 1,000 title mark
Make room Comcast, Verizon's barged in on Project Infinity territory, staking its own claim of 1,000 high definition video on-demand titles available, two months earlier than it had previously planned. That puts it well ahead in the choices/channels debate, with the latest additions courtesy of Starz, Showtime and Sundance Channel. If you're willing to accept something less than HD for your VOD, there's a total of 11,000 items available every month (8,500 without an additional charge), but we're just settling in as the race to 3,000 high definition watch-anytime choices begins.
Showtime lands 7-year content deal with The Weinstein Company
A hot, hot summer isn't keeping The Weinstein Company from staying busy, as just weeks after announcing its intentions to finally join the herd and go Blu-ray exclusive comes word that it has inked a long-term deal with Showtime Networks. The two have entered into an "exclusive seven-year film distribution arrangement" which will be effective with Weinstein's 2009 release schedule. Showtime viewers can expect to see Nine, Inglorious Bastards and other highly acclaimed pictures from the outfit, and for those interested, you may be stoked to find that the output deal "also includes releases from Dimension Films." So, is this enough incentive to keep this premium around?
