Sony Movie Channel
has signed its first carriage
deals since the high-definition
channel’s Oct. 1 launch, reaching
distribution agreements
with satellite services DirecTV
and Dish Network and telco
provider AT&T U-verse.
Showing uncut and uninterrupted
theatrical movies
from Sony’s 3,500-film
library (including The Graduate,
Philadelphia and Ghostbusters),
Sony Movie Channel
also offers affiliates videoon-
demand and online offerings,
newly appointed general
manager Superna Kalle said.
“To the industry, we’re providing
a great high-definition
movie channel for distributors,
and for consumers, we’re
offering an amazing HD channel
that features uncut theatrical
releases commercial-free,
which we think is a great way
to launch a channel,” Kalle
said. “We have the best library
of movies in HD.”
On Monday (Oct. 18), she
said, Sony Movie Channel
will join the three providers’
high-definition programming
tiers: DirecTV’s HD Xtra Pack,
AT&T’s U-verse HD Premium
Tier and Dish Network’s HD
Platinum package.
A VOD and authenticated
online offering will have 20
movies per month available
first to Dish HD Platinum subscribers
and via DishOnline.
com.
“We’re very excited to have
the three partners we have at
launch — they’ve been great
so far and we look forward
to working with them,” Kalle
said, although she would not
reveal a specific subscriber
count.
The new network will create
original interstitial programming
with behind-the-scenes
footage related to the featured
movies, Kalle said.
She also will work closely
with Sony-affiliated GSN, Fear-
Net and the company’s upcoming
3D-channel joint venture
with Discovery Communications
and IMAX.
