Affiliate Programs and Affiliate Reviews
This week, I got emails announcing changes to two online services I subscribe to. I just sort of shrugged at one message, though it did represent a significant change in the service’s business model. The second email outlined a major change as well, but my reaction to it was much stronger. It ticked me off.
A long list of companies — including big names such as Amazon, Dish Network, Wal-Mart, Best Buy and YouTube — appear to be gearing up to enter the online video rental business. Of course, they all have visions of eventually overtaking the current market leader Netflix. It makes sense. Streaming video is the future of home entertainment, and surely there’s room for more than one major player in a market that really is barely more than a year old.
It appears Hollywood is ready to give on-demand new releases a go. Four major studios reportedly are planning a video-on-demand service called "Home Premiere" that will show movies that have been in theaters for 60 days for $30 each. Warner Bros., Sony, Universal and Fox will distribute the digital movies through DirecTV and cable providers.
Netflix is coming to a high-definition LG Electronics television near you. The two companies on Monday announced an extension of an existing partnership whereby LG will sell Internet-ready TVs capable of streaming content from a catalog of 12,000 Netflix movies. The service is already available on one of LG’s Blu-ray disc players.
Movie rental giant Blockbuster announced Tuesday it has teamed with hardware maker 2Wire to launch a content delivery service on the 2Wire MediaPoint digital media player. The set-top box will provide users with direct access to Blockbuster OnDemand content via their televisions. The small set-top box works with either WiFi or a wired broadband connection.