DVDs On Demand

Reuters reports that Cablevision Systems Corp. said on Monday that it will offer its 2 million digital subscribers a service that allows ordering a DVD using their remote controls and watching the movie immediately in the first 24 hours after the purchase. The service is called "Popcorn DVDs On Demand," and it would dramatically reduce the time window of about 30 to 45 days between when movies are released on DVD and then aired on cable television.

"Popcorn DVDs On Demand" is a partnership between Cablevision and the privately held Popcorn Home Entertainment. The latter has distribution agreements with Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Bros.

One of the first movies available on Feb. 19 through Cablevision's new service will be American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington. The new releases will be $19.95 plus shipping.

U.S. cable companies and movie studios both like the idea of a smaller amount of time passing between a film's theatrical release and its airing on TV. For studios, a smaller time window would bring earnings forward and reduce the need for a second advertising campaign for home distribution of movies. Cable companies have called for the reduction or elimination of the time window altogether.