Warner Bros Gets Tough With Blockbuster Over Rental Window

[Bruce]

Warner Bros Gets Tough With Blockbuster Over Rental Window – Deadline.com

Warner Bros and Dish Network’s Blockbuster are at odds over a rental-release window for the studio’s films, and now Warners has stopped giving Blockbuster its latest releases. According to the Financial Times, the retailer is refusing Warner Bros’ request to adhere to a 28-day window between films going on sale and their availability for rent

 

[DustoMan]

This does not make me happy, and the kicker to the article is that they want to make the waiting period longer!

 

[meStevo]

And just like that a bunch of marketing goes down the drain, heh.

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[GaryPen]

This is how the studios try and force people to buy movies, or spend $6 for PPV, instead of renting it for $1 or renting/streaming as part of subscription plan.

Even though one would have to be an idiot to pay $6 for something they can get for $1 or free as part of a subscription, there are no shortage of idiots in this world. And, the studios know it.

 

[meStevo]

This is how the studios try and force people to buy movies, or spend $6 for PPV, instead of renting it for $1 or renting/streaming as part of subscription plan.

Even though one would have to be an idiot to pay $6 for something they can get for $1 or free as part of a subscription, there are no shortage of idiots in this world. And, the studios know it.

$6 for a movie at home with my wife that we know we'll probably never watch again is well worth our time vs $20+ to buy it.

Tell me, where can I get a brand new movie for $1 or as part of a subscription the Tuesday it's released?

IMO its about time they realize they were being hypocritical by not extending this same delay to Blockbuster from the beginning.

 

[dan188]

Sounds like studios are going after bb like netflix and redbox with the 28 day waiting period. Wonder how long befor bb is like netflix

 

[GaryPen]

Tell me, where can I get a brand new movie for $1 or as part of a subscription the Tuesday it's released?

Pretty soon, no where.
And, the studios count on people like you who would rather pay a 600% premium than wait a few weeks to watch a movie.

If you can wait months until DVD release to save money compared to the theater, why wouldn't you wait a few weeks to save money from the PPV ripoff?

 

[meStevo]

Pretty soon, no where.
And, the studios count on people like you who would rather pay a 600% premium than wait a few weeks to watch a movie.

If you can wait months until DVD release to save money compared to the theater, why wouldn't you wait a few weeks to save money from the PPV ripoff?

600% premium over what exactly? A month of my time is worth more than $5 for the freedom to watch what I want when I want to. How is it any different from spending $20+ on a Blu-Ray and only watching the movie once, which we probably still do plenty of... which gets into 1000's of % overpaying by your math. Or wait, do you wait 9 months for it to drop to $15 or something, save another $5? Either way it's the same difference, studios will get their money, and 28 day delay or not the services should be on the same playing field. I've ordered maybe a half dozen PPVs in my life and they've been from places like Amazon, not DirecTV.

Do you also never go to the movies because you can save $15+ if you wait 12 months and get it on sale on DVD?

 

[dangue]

600% premium over what exactly? A month of my time is worth more than $5 for the freedom to watch what I want when I want to. How is it any different from spending $20+ on a Blu-Ray and only watching the movie once, which we probably still do plenty of... which gets into 1000's of % overpaying by your math. Or wait, do you wait 9 months for it to drop to $15 or something, save another $5? Either way it's the same difference, studios will get their money, and 28 day delay or not the services should be on the same playing field. I've ordered maybe a half dozen PPVs in my life and they've been from places like Amazon, not DirecTV.

The services should be on the same playing field? No, the services should be free to negotiate contracts independently of one another. If Netflix (in exchange for streaming rights) and redbox (in exchange for cheaper wholesale disc prices) are willing to delay release for 28 days, good for them.

No reason why Blockbuster should have to follow that trend if they believe the extra 28 days gives them a competitive advantage. I say they should do what they deem best. And as long as they're willing to forgo the reduces wholesale prices and streaming rights, more power to them.

If the studios keep this up, they will just drive people to illegal means of consuming the content. Greed is a strange thing, the studios would love to make us pay for each viewing per person of a film in our own homes. If they continue in this vein, it may come back to bite them in the a$$.

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[meStevo]

The services should be on the same playing field? No, the services should be free to negotiate contracts independently of one another. If Netflix (in exchange for streaming rights) and redbox (in exchange for cheaper wholesale disc prices) are willing to delay release for 28 days, good for them.

No reason why Blockbuster should have to follow that trend if they believe the extra 28 days gives them a competitive advantage. I say they should do what they deem best. And as long as they're willing to forgo the reduces wholesale prices and streaming rights, more power to them.

If the studios keep this up, they will just drive people to illegal means of consuming the content. Greed is a strange thing, the studios would love to make us pay for each viewing per person of a film in our own homes. If they continue in this vein, it may come back to bite them in the a$$.

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Oh, I'm all for the free market dictating terms, Blockbuster can buy them at full retail to compensate, just like Redbox threatened to do initially I think. Studios are just trying to protect the various revenue streams, and yeah there's certainly risk there.

 

[meStevo]

Looks like they also think that a 28 day window is too easy to just wait out...

Hollywood Studios Said to Study 60-Day Ban on DVD Rentals - Bloomberg

 

[dangue]

Looks like they also think that a 28 day window is too easy to just wait out...

Hollywood Studios Said to Study 60-Day Ban on DVD Rentals - Bloomberg

This is what I meant by excessive studio greed.

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[empiretc]

@ this rate, more people will be setting up a satellite dish @ 30w......

don't have to be scared about illegal internet stuff then...lol...

 

[stogie5150]

No, I think maybe people might do what I did, I havent been to a movie theater since 1996, and haven't rented a movie since about 1997. When a movie ticket got to 10 bucks, I took a pass.

 

[meStevo]

No, I think maybe people might do what I did, I havent been to a movie theater since 1996, and haven't rented a movie since about 1997. When a movie ticket got to 10 bucks, I took a pass.

We just go to the movies that we know we want to see in the theaters, rather than just movies we'd want to go see in general. We do this knowing they might not be the best movie, but rather the best spectacle and worth seeing on the big screen (stuff like Transformers). Few exceptions include supporting some of our favorite artists/directors.

 

[Yespage]

60 day window? Why doesn't Hollywood just lobby Congress to pass a Hollywood tax? That way they can take all the money they think they deserve up front.

No, I think maybe people might do what I did, I havent been to a movie theater since 1996, and haven't rented a movie since about 1997. When a movie ticket got to 10 bucks, I took a pass.

Ack $10?! I know it was getting there in NYC, but everywhere else? In Ohio you can see 3D films for less, I think. I don't do the theater thing too often.... not much is released I'm interested in. I'll watch TCM much more than Epix or whats in the theater. But some stuff does come around that is worth seeing.

We just go to the movies that we know we want to see in the theaters, rather than just movies we'd want to go see in general. We do this knowing they might not be the best movie, but rather the best spectacle and worth seeing on the big screen (stuff like Transformers). Few exceptions include supporting some of our favorite artists/directors.

Ewww.... Transformers? How poor can a movie be if it can't compare to its 80's cartoon movie equivalent. I do get your point on effect, however. Some films, typically action ones, are better with the big screen.

 

[hammerdown]

Of course I hope Charlie can stand up and fight this but it seems like when it comes to the MPAA & RIAA, they always get thier way. I can understand when it comes to copyright issues, but this is just pure greed. Regardless of what happens, I can wait for the rental to release (on disc or free streaming). I have never used PPV and creating a waiting period won't change that. When bluray came out I stopped buying discs (except for a very select all-time favorites).

 

[meStevo]

Of course I hope Charlie can stand up and fight this but it seems like when it comes to the MPAA & RIAA, they always get thier way. I can understand when it comes to copyright issues, but this is just pure greed. Regardless of what happens, I can wait for the rental to release (on disc or free streaming). I have never used PPV and creating a waiting period won't change that. When bluray came out I stopped buying discs (except for a very select all-time favorites).

How do you expect him to fight it, buy all the new releases at retail? Who do you think will pay those added costs? There's nothing legal-wise really to challenge... especially since this is just ending the special treatment Blockbuster had gotten to begin with.

 

[dangue]

How do you expect him to fight it, buy all the new releases at retail? Who do you think will pay those added costs? There's nothing legal-wise really to challenge... especially since this is just ending the special treatment Blockbuster had gotten to begin with.

Special treatment? Nope, just what they negotiated for. Unless you want to characterize Netflix's acquisition of additional streaming rights in exchange for the delayed window as special treatment.

It would only be special treatment if BB didn't have to enforce the window (while everyone else had to) but still got all the benefits on pricing and streaming rights that everyone else got for enforcing the window.

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[meStevo]

Special treatment? Nope, just what they negotiated for. Unless you want to characterize Netflix's acquisition of additional streaming rights in exchange for the delayed window as special treatment.

It would only be special treatment if BB didn't have to enforce the window (while everyone else had to) but still got all the benefits on pricing and streaming rights that everyone else got for enforcing the window.

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Equal parts semantics and poor choice of words... doesn't really change my point.

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