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Warner Bros. extends delay for rental DVDs to 56 days

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J

JdFoX187

Banned
It really does seem like a perfect storm for piracy to thrive right now. It's never been easier to download TV shows and movies with relative little danger. Between Starz pulling out of Netflix streaming next month, Warner Bros. bumping the exclusive window and every studio and provider rushing to start up their own crappy streaming service that may or may not require a cable subscription, I really don't see people rushing out to start buying movies at $20-25 a pop or to subscribe to every service coming up.
 
H

Htown

STOP SHITTING ON MY MOTHER'S HEADSTONE
Isn't it funny when decisions are CLEARLY being made by people either too stupid or too stubborn to understand the impact of the internet on the marketplace?
 
G

Game Guru

Member
These media conglomerates expect piracy to be scrubbed out with SOPA. Instead, they fall because the conglomerates slipped on SOPA.
 
B

Buddha Beam

Banned
I can't wait for these dinosaur media companies to die. The true rot and decay probably won't really start for another 10 years, but when they do, it'll be fun to watch.
 
R

RBH

Member
Under a new deal between the two companies, Netflix users won't just have to wait 56 days to rent Warner Bros. movies on DVD. They'll have to wait 28 days to add the movies to their queues.

As part of the Warner's continuing effort to boost its DVD, Blu-ray, and video-on-demand business, the studio's new deal with Netflix throws up a new roadblock for people willing to wait and get the movie as part of their monthly subscription.

Beginning Feb. 1, when the new agreement goes into effect, Netflix customers won't even be able to add Warner movies to their queues until four weeks after the DVDs go on sale, a knowledgeable person not authorized to speak publicly confirmed. They would then have to wait another four weeks until Netflix starts shipping the discs.

Under the companies' previous agreement, users could add discs to their queues even before they went on sale. Warner executives apparently believed that policy made it easier for consumers to wait, confident that the discs would arrive eventually.

But now when users search for Warner's "A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas," which goes on sale Feb. 7, the Netflix website simply says the movie is not available. Consumers will have wait until March 6 to add the film to their queues and until April 3 to get it in the mail.

Warner Bros. has been on the leading edge of a group of movie studios that have taken steps to encourage consumers to buy DVDs and Blu-ray discs or rent movies via video-on-demand, transactions that are far more profitable for the studios than rentals via Netflix or Redbox.
Click to expand...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ent...os-netflix-deal-includes-delay-in-queues.html
 
B

BoboBrazil

Member
Well now with this and the killing of file sharing sites, sales of dvd releases starting next week should skyrocket right? RIGHT? Since apparently pirating costs the movie industry billions of dollars.
 
N

Neuromancer

Member
Hey WB

fuck-you.gif
 
S

Str0ngStyle

Member
Oh no! I'll have to watch all those indies/documentaries/older movies/tv shows in my queue and not spend more money. However will I live?

There is an old Chris Rock joke about John McCain that sums up this decision and the attitudes of these old fucks perfectly...

"How you gonna make decisions about the future...when you ain't gonna be there?"
 
Wolfe

Wolfe

Member
Diablos said:
Warner Bros. indirectly supporting piracy!

What a bunch of fucking loons. Their eagerness to fall on their own swords for absolutely nothing is extremely perverse.

I just wish all the studios went belly up like the gaming industry in 1983, and everything got a reboot. It's time. Like so many other things in the world...
Click to expand...

I agree, makes me wonder if they'll ever get it.
 
E

Evlar

Banned
Only 56 days? You're thinking small, Warner. You'll have to stretch that out to several years before I'll budge.
 
A

Araxen

Banned
Warner Bros needs to realize there are people who wait for movies to appear on HBO/Starz/Showtime/etc.. which takes a hell of a lot longer than 56 days. 56 days is nothing really.
 
R

Ripclawe

Banned
http://www.deadline.com/2012/01/redbox-vows-to-acquire-warner-bros-dvds-through-alternative-means/

Looks like Redbox has told Warner Bros to take a hike with its effort to double the waiting period for new rental DVDs to 56 days. When the contract to acquire discs directly from Warner Bros expires today Redbox will “work to provide Warner Brothers’ movies through alternative means,” says Gary Cohen, SVP for marketing and customer experience. He adds that Redbox “maintains direct working relationships with every other major studio.”


Disney, Paramount, and Sony provide new DVDs to Redbox the day they’re released; Universal and Fox require the kiosk company to wait 28 days. Redbox is taking a big risk by choosing to buy Warner Bros discs from outside sources: That could be more costly. What’s more, the company may not be able to buy enough copies of hit films to satisfy its customers — especially if Warner Bros can persuade retailers to cap the number of the studio’s discs they’ll sell to a single customer. (Earlier this morning Walmart agreed to continue housing Redbox kiosks to early 2015.) But Warner Bros also is taking a gamble: There’s nothing to stop Redbox from flooding the market with used Warner Bros DVDs a few weeks after they’re released, when rental demand for the titles lets up. Still, Warner Bros wants to increase the delay before providing discs to low-cost rental companies because it believes that will help to boost sales.


That’s become an important initiative for Warner: It’s also leading the pack in offering discs under the entertainment industry’s Ultraviolet campaign which makes it possible for buyers to also stream movies to digital devices. Earlier this month Netflix agreed to the 56-day delay. Studios fear that their profits will take a hit as cash-strapped consumers increasingly rent discs from low cost services; Redbox charges $1.20 a night.


Rental spending exceeded sell-through last year — the first time that has happened since 1998 — Morgan Stanley analyst Benjamin Swinburne says in a report this morning. But Susquehanna Financial Group’s Vasily Karasyov says today that “declining DVD sales have no impact on major studios’ profitability” because discs are expensive to produce and market.
Click to expand...
 
D

DarkFlow

Banned
Araxen said:
Warner Bros needs to realize there are people who wait for movies to appear on HBO/Starz/Showtime/etc.. which takes a hell of a lot longer than 56 days. 56 days is nothing really.
Click to expand...

This. Making me wait 56 days is not going to force me to buy anything. People are not going to say, "Well if I can't rent this for another 2 months, I might as well buy it". Who is running this company?
 
B

BlackNMild2k1

Member
LOL @ WB

If I can't add your movie to my Netflix queue as I see the preview/ad so that I don't forget that it exist, then chances are that I will never remember to put it on my queue to watch until well after it's off the (long/short)wait list on Netflix anyway.

I don't watch (cable/sat)TV enough to ever catch commercials and most certainly don't buy movies, so unless it's HYPED online, in the Theater or by people I know, I will have no idea when it's supposed to hit DVD. Netflix is my reminder and that's why the "Save" button exist in my Netflix search.

So double FAIL on WB's part as I was never gonna buy the movie anyway, but now I probably won't even remember to watch it at all.
 
R

Ripclawe

Banned
Redbox ain't scared!

http://www.deadline.com/2012/02/red...-or-fox-if-they-want-longer-dvd-rental-delay/

The kiosk company already buys Warner Bros discs on the open market instead of accepting the studio’s insistence that it wait 56 days for new releases. And Paul Davis, CEO of Redbox parent Coinstar, says he’s “comfortable that we could deal with” a similar situation if Universal or Fox also try to change their current arrangement to hold new releases for 28 days before selling discs directly to Redbox.

The kiosk company says it offsets the higher price it pays retailers for Warner Bros’ new DVD and Blu-ray releases by carrying fewer of the studio’s titles. “We’re not buying every single movie” from Warner Bros, he told analysts at the Pacific Crest Emerging Technology Summit. ”We’re pretty selective.” The company expects to “learn a lot more as we go through the quarter” about how many discs to buy to satisfy consumers and still make a profit. Although Redbox is prepared to do the same thing with Universal and Fox, Davis says “I don’t believe that’s where we’ll end up.”

Davis remained mum about the details of Redbox’s new video streaming venture with Verizon. He says that their national subscription service, which will launch in the second half of this year, will offer consumers “the best of both worlds, both physical and digital.” The CEO noted, though, that about 20% of Redbox’s kiosk customers also subscribe to Netflix.

He also offered little new about the pending deal to buy the Blockbuster Express kiosk business from NCR. It will add more than 9,000 machines to the 35,400 that Redbox currently manages. If antitrust officials approve the acquisition, then all of the kiosks would operate as a single network under the Redbox brand. “From a consumer standpoint it will be seamless,” Davis says.

He adds that he’s not worried about the reports showing that consumers are losing interest in discs, especially as digital movie streaming and downloading become more popular. DVDs are “still a high percentage of how consumers rent movies and we project it will last for a good while,” Davis says. Redbox isn’t just keeping its fingers crossed. Although it expects to add as many as 6,000 kiosks this year, ”we continue to tick that (expansion number) down.” Meanwhile the company is diversifying with its recent efforts to add video games to the mix at kiosks — and joining Verizon in streaming and downloads.
Click to expand...
 
T

teh_pwn

"Saturated fat causes heart disease as much as Brawndo is what plants crave."
It's gotten to the point where I've just stopped paying attention to new movies. If I have a date or something, I'll hit up imdb and pick something at the Alamo. But in general I've stopped paying attention.
 
R

RBH

Member
Walt Disney Studios has decided to not sell its DVDs to any rental outlets, including Redbox, Netflix and Blockbuster, until 28 days after they go on sale.

Disney previously offered its DVDs to Redbox the same day they went on sale at retail stores and online.

The policy change began with the studio's release of the Japanese animation movie "The Secret World of Arrietty" on May 22, a studio spokeswoman confirmed, but has gained widespread notice this week as it is applying to the high-profile flop "John Carter."

Redbox is retaliating by stocking its machines with copies of "John Carter" that it purchaes at retail stores, setting up the same type of dispute with Disney that it is already engaged in with Warner Bros.

"We will be sourcing 'John Carter' through alternative means," a Redbox spokeswoman confirmed.

The Redbox website indicates that "John Carter" will be available in its kiosks June 12, one week after it went on sale.

The switch indicates that the Burbank media giant has adopted the view held by Warner, Universal Pictures and 20th Century Fox that $1.20 per night rentals from Redbox cut into more profitable DVD sales and video-on-demand rentals.

Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Bob Iger said in February that his studio was considering joining the 28-day delay bandwagon. Redbox doesn't stock its kiosks with copies of Universal and Fox movies during the first four weeks that the DVDs are on sale because it has agreements with those studios to wait in exchange for a significant discount. It has no such agreement with Disney.

Warner Bros. has demanded that Redbox wait 56 days to rent its DVDs, a so-called "window" that the kiosk company has said was too long. As a result, Redbox currently buys Warner DVDs from retail stores.

A Netflix spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the subscription video company has traditionally abided by studios' windows without objections because it does not make most of its money from new releases.

A spokesman for Dish Network-owned Blockbuster, which has not accepted windows on new releases in the past, did not immediately respond to a request for comment either.
Click to expand...
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-disney-redbox-20120606,0,2389191.story



Netflix is joining Redbox in defying Walt Disney Studios' attempt to stop DVD rentals for four weeks after the discs go on sale.

Disney recently decided not to provide its discs to the nation's largest rental companies until 28 days after they hit store shelves, adopting a policy similar to those of 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. (Warner's so-called "window" is even longer: 56 days).

The studios believe the delay can help boost home entertainment revenue by steering consumers toward more profitable DVD purchases and video-on-demand rentals.

Fox, Universal and Warner reached agreements with Netflix in which the rental company doesn't offer the movies to its customers until after the window. In exchange, the studios provide a healthy supply of DVDs at the end of the period at a discounted rate.

But Disney and Netflix were unable to come to terms on such a deal, as the Burbank studio apparently wanted more favorable terms than those of its competitors, said a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.

As a result, Netflix is now buying copies of recent Disney releases, including "John Carter," from other retailers rather than directly from the studio. All of Netflix's copies of Disney's big-budget flop, which came out June 5, are already out to subscribers and there is a waiting list.

Disney is the only studio at loggerheads with Netflix over the window issue, but it's not the only one fighting with Redbox. The kiosk rental company refused to accept Warner's demand that it wait 56 days to rent new releases, as its business is heavily dependent on having fresh movies. It is now stocking its machines with Disney and Warner discs that it purchases from retail stores.

Such negotiations ultimately amount to a high-stakes game of chicken. Under the "first sale" legal doctrine, studios can't forbid companies from renting DVDs that they legally purchase.

But buying the DVDs from retail stores or other wholesalers, as Netflix and Redbox are doing for Disney titles, costs the rental outlets several dollars more per disc than buying it directly from the studio. Disney appears to be hoping that as a result, Netflix and Redbox will stock fewer copies and may eventually decide to agree to the studio's terms.

Blockbuster, the only remaining national rental store chain, is also defying Disney. "John Carter" is already available to rent on its shelves.
Click to expand...
http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...et-ct-disney-netflix-20120607,0,3629780.story
 
M

Meier

Member
Such a dumb and short-sighted mindset. If the 28-day wait didn't help, why would a 56-day wait? I never rent physical movies (never even used a Redbox in fact) so I guess I missed the original story.. but all this does is encourage piracy. That's it.
 
Acerac

Acerac

Banned
Zombie James said:
Warner Bros. wants people to watch less of their movies? Great business strategy.
Click to expand...

It's really quite brilliant. Now when somebody wants to watch one of their movies they will be forced to wait months if they want to rent the movie. After months of anticipation and buildup the movies will seem far more exciting than they would otherwise.
 
B

BuckRobotron

Member
Redbox release date has become my de facto release date for movie dvds, and that will remain the case regardless. All the delay does is result in "oh yeah, almost forgot about that one, time to check it out" when they finally arrive.
 
W

WillyFive

Member
BuckRobotron said:
Redbox release date has become my de facto release date for movie dvds, and that will remain the case regardless. All the delay does is result in "oh yeah, almost forgot about that one, time to check it out" when they finally arrive.
Click to expand...

Yep.

All this is doing is putting more pressure on the outdated and undesirable home video market, which can not compete with Netflix and Redbox. It's like their way of fixing an old guy's weakening body is by making him run a marathon with no one in the sidelines cheering him on.
 
J

JohnsonUT

Member
So if Redbox doesn't agree to the 56 days, can they just buy them at retail and start serving them immediately? It may cost more per disc ($5 per disc more? $10?), but they have 50ish days to recoup the cost.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
They must not have gotten the memo about piracy and how its killing their industry.
 
E

Eric C

Member
entrement said:
Really stupid.

Why can't HBO just offer a online only service? I'd pay 20 bucks for that.
Click to expand...

posted this in the other thread, figured I'd post it here too since you asked basically the same thing.

How about $22?

If you aren't under a contract Dish Network let's you subscribe to only premium channels, and they've allowed this since the late 90s. Dish doesn't advertize it but it's available.

HBO $16 + DishNetwork No Programming Fee $6 = $22

Dish also has a few cheap packages you can subscribe to

HBO $16 + "International Basic" $10 = $26

HBO $16 + "Welcome Package" $15 = $31

If you ONLY want HBO-GO and don't care about any of the other HBO broadcast channels, just buy a cheap non-DVR, non-HD (if you're just doing this for HBOGO, you don't want any extra DVR or HD fees) receiver such as the Dish 311 receiver from a Dish retailer. If you buy used make sure it has no balance on the account.

One of my friends did this. He bought a Dish 311 for I think a bit over $50, called up Dish Network, lied said he installed the satellite dish himself, gave the customer service operator the numbers on his receiver and smart card number (Hook the receiver up to the tv and press menu-6-1-3 to go to "system info" This will tell you the ROO # and S00 #) And now he's a legitimate HBO subscriber with an HBO GO account. He's never once had a dish installed on his house, and his receiver is now packed away in a closet.

yeah it sucks you have to buy a cheap receiver up front to do this, but want you want is basically possible today, right now.
 
M

Makoto

Member
Struct09 said:
And instead of waiting 28 days, they only have to wait 7. And the discs are the retail versions, not the barebones rental versions. Consumers win!
Click to expand...
Which means I can immediately skip to menu instead of fastforwarding through 12 different trailers.
 
X

XMonkey

lacks enthusiasm.
Disney recently decided not to provide its discs to the nation's largest rental companies until 28 days after they hit store shelves, adopting a policy similar to those of 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. (Warner's so-called "window" is even longer: 56 days).

The studios believe the delay can help boost home entertainment revenue by steering consumers toward more profitable DVD purchases and video-on-demand rentals.
Click to expand...
But buying the DVDs from retail stores or other wholesalers, as Netflix and Redbox are doing for Disney titles, costs the rental outlets several dollars more per disc than buying it directly from the studio. Disney appears to be hoping that as a result, Netflix and Redbox will stock fewer copies and may eventually decide to agree to the studio's terms.
Click to expand...
Hahahaha. The big studios can go fuck themselves.
 
H

Heel

Member
Eric C said:
posted this in the other thread, figured I'd post it here too since you asked basically the same thing.

How about $22?

If you aren't under a contract Dish Network let's you subscribe to only premium channels, and they've allowed this since the late 90s. Dish doesn't advertize it but it's available.

HBO $16 + DishNetwork No Programming Fee $6 = $22

Dish also has a few cheap packages you can subscribe to

HBO $16 + "International Basic" $10 = $26

HBO $16 + "Welcome Package" $15 = $31

If you ONLY want HBO-GO and don't care about any of the other HBO broadcast channels, just buy a cheap non-DVR, non-HD (if you're just doing this for HBOGO, you don't want any extra DVR or HD fees) receiver such as the Dish 311 receiver from a Dish retailer. If you buy used make sure it has no balance on the account.

One of my friends did this. He bought a Dish 311 for I think a bit over $50, called up Dish Network, lied said he installed the satellite dish himself, gave the customer service operator the numbers on his receiver and smart card number (Hook the receiver up to the tv and press menu-6-1-3 to go to "system info" This will tell you the ROO # and S00 #) And now he's a legitimate HBO subscriber with an HBO GO account. He's never once had a dish installed on his house, and his receiver is now packed away in a closet.

yeah it sucks you have to buy a cheap receiver up front to do this, but want you want is basically possible today, right now.
Click to expand...

HJtVH.gif
 
P

Pctx

Banned
Why in God's name do we still have stuipd, moronic dipshits running the media industry?

Give me 1 week, a lot of vodka and an OK suit and I would pitch a subscription service that would make Netflix look like a kids toy but noooooooooooooooOOOOOo. These people clearly have to go because they are holding everyone back from making money and keeping the fans happy.
 
entremet

entremet

Member
Eric C said:
posted this in the other thread, figured I'd post it here too since you asked basically the same thing.

How about $22?

If you aren't under a contract Dish Network let's you subscribe to only premium channels, and they've allowed this since the late 90s. Dish doesn't advertize it but it's available.

HBO $16 + DishNetwork No Programming Fee $6 = $22

Dish also has a few cheap packages you can subscribe to

HBO $16 + "International Basic" $10 = $26

HBO $16 + "Welcome Package" $15 = $31

If you ONLY want HBO-GO and don't care about any of the other HBO broadcast channels, just buy a cheap non-DVR, non-HD (if you're just doing this for HBOGO, you don't want any extra DVR or HD fees) receiver such as the Dish 311 receiver from a Dish retailer. If you buy used make sure it has no balance on the account.

One of my friends did this. He bought a Dish 311 for I think a bit over $50, called up Dish Network, lied said he installed the satellite dish himself, gave the customer service operator the numbers on his receiver and smart card number (Hook the receiver up to the tv and press menu-6-1-3 to go to "system info" This will tell you the ROO # and S00 #) And now he's a legitimate HBO subscriber with an HBO GO account. He's never once had a dish installed on his house, and his receiver is now packed away in a closet.

yeah it sucks you have to buy a cheap receiver up front to do this, but want you want is basically possible today, right now.
Click to expand...

I live in an apartment. No dishes as per management.
 
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