Comcast Corp. announced a series of launches of Starz On Demand and Starz! HD on the same day Starz Encore Group LLC launched its Starz! Kids network.
Starz On Demand is now available to Starz! subscribers receiving Comcast’s On Demand service, encompassing more than 30% of the MSO’s subscribers in markets including Philadelphia; central and northern New Jersey; New England; Pittsburgh; Baltimore; Richmond, Va.; Detroit; Huntsville and Mobile, Ala.; Savannah, Ga.; and Charleston, S.C.
Comcast will continue to launch Starz On Demand as it rolls out its On Demand service in additional markets in 2003 and 2004. The on-demand content will be available at no extra charge to Comcast Digital Cable customers who subscribe to Starz!.
Starz! HD is also available to Comcast customers in markets where the operator offers HDTV service. The network is offered at no extra charge for Starz! subscribers with Comcast Digital Cable service and HDTV-enabled digital-cable boxes provided by the MSO
As for Starz! Kids, the premium all-movie channel, targeted toward kids aged 2-11, is available immediately to affiliates at no additional license fee.
The network will draw on Starz Encore’s extensive inventory of theatrical movies from major studios and independent suppliers, including The Walt Disney Co., Universal Studios, New Line Cinema, Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., Revolution Studios, Samuel Goldwyn Films and Miramax.
Upcoming movies on Starz! Kids include The Jungle Book 2, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Snow Dogs, Tuck Everlasting, Kermit’s Swamp Years, Piglet’s Big Movie and Monsters Inc.
The programmer’s "Starz Super Pak" now totals 13 networks.
