Skip to main content

Showtime's Direct-to-Consumer Bombshell

It was only a matter of time before the major U.S. 'premium' pay-TV networks would break free of their traditional distribution partners, and offer services directly to mainstream consumers via over-the-top broadband delivery. Well, that time has come. The first bombshell has apparently been dropped.

SHOWTIME Networks Inc. and ExtendMedia will showcase the world's first consumer video download-to-own service designed for Microsoft Windows Vista technology. Visitors to the Microsoft Windows Vista booth at CES in Las Vegas next week can view a pilot of what SHOWTIME and Extend are creating.

Using the service, which is scheduled to be launched in late January, consumers will be able to download episodes from groundbreaking Showtime Original Series such as Weeds, The L Word, Sleeper Cell and more from the Web -- and play them on their home PC, or transfer them to a portable player for viewing on the go.

The SHOWTIME-Extend service showcases the power and usability made possible by Windows Vista for consuming digital media content. Since Windows Vista comes packaged with Microsoft's Media Center Edition capabilities, Vista PCs potentially become the hub of the home digital entertainment center.

With fast, user-friendly click-to-download offerings, SHOWTIME's work highlights its position as a programming and technology innovator. ExtendMedia's OpenCASE software handles the video content download in the service with a Vista-compliant application, and gives SHOWTIME flexibility and control in monetizing its direct-to-consumer business.

SHOWTIME and ExtendMedia are demonstrating the new service in Microsoft's Windows Vista Booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center's Central Plaza, booth # CP9. SHOWTIME Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME, THE MOVIE CHANNEL and FLIX.

Popular posts from this blog

Industrial Cloud Computing Apps Gain Momentum

In the manufacturing industry, cloud computing can help leaders improve their production efficiency by providing them with real-time data about their operations. This has gained the attention of the C-suite. Total forecast Industrial Cloud platform revenue in manufacturing will surpass $300 billion by 2033 with a CAGR of 22.57 percent, driven by solution providers enhancing platform interoperability while expanding partner ecosystems for application development. ABI Research found the cloud computing manufacturing market will grow over the next decade due to the adoption of new architectural frameworks that enhance data extraction and interoperability for manufacturers looking to maximize utility from their data. Industrial Cloud Computing Market Development "Historically, manufacturers have built out their infrastructure to include expensive data housing in the form of on-premises servers. The large initial upfront cost of purchasing, setting up, and maintaining these servers is

Credit Scoring Service Spending will Reach $44B

Credit scoring is a method that lenders use to predict the probability a borrower or counter-party will default on loans, or incur additional charges for repayment -- also known as measuring credit worthiness. The method is a key tool in making credit affordable for individuals and businesses. It links credit products to risk potential, connecting borrowers to secondary capital markets and increasing the amount of funds available. This securing process establishes risk predictability dependent on a number of factors, determined by financial indicators and other publicly available information reported by the credit bureaus. Credit Score Market Development According to the latest worldwide market study by Juniper Research, they now forecast credit scoring services will grow by 67 percent to $44 billion by 2028. Juniper anticipates that emerging markets will experience the greatest growth -- projecting the African & Middle Eastern region to grow by 117 percent over the forecast period

Demand for Quantum Computing as a Service

The enterprise demand for quantum computing is still in its early stages, growing slowly. As the technology becomes more usable, we may see demand evolve beyond scientific applications. The global quantum computing market is forecast to grow from $1.1 billion in 2022 to $7.6 billion in 2027, according to the latest worldwide market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). That's a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 48.1 percent. The forecast includes base Quantum Computing as a Service, as well as enabling and adjacent Quantum Computing as a Service. However, this updated forecast is considerably lower than IDC's previous quantum computing forecast, which was published in 2021, due to lower demand globally. Quantum Computing Market Development In the interim, customer spend for quantum computing has been negatively impacted by several factors, including: slower than expected advances in quantum hardware development, which have delayed potential return on inve