Studios: Digital Downloads Not Ready
Executives say it will be years before they replace DVDs.
By Swanni
That's the consensus of top Hollywood studio executives, as reported today by Video Business.
Apple, Microsoft, TiVo and NetFlix have all (or will soon) launched services that allow home viewers to download TV shows and movies from the Net to their TVs.
However, during a Content Delivery and Storage Association conference panel this month, four studio officials said downloads are no threat to physical media because they are too complicated and take too long to download.
For instance, some high-def movies can take hours to download before the viewer can begin to watch.
"I don’t think we have to be worried about the replacement of physical media for some time,” said Benn Carr, Disney's vice president of new technology, according to Video Business. “Downloading sales are not going to ‘hockey-stick’ soon. Every time I access a site and download, it’s not necessarily seamless.”
Sven Davidson, vice president of content development for Fox, was even more critical:
“Demand for downloading is very small and the satisfaction is smaller," he said. “The pipelines aren’t big enough.”
Comment on this article!
___________________________________________
____________________________________________
Click
TVPredictions.com to see today's Swanni
Sez.
©
TVPredictions.com
____________________________________________
Swanni (Phillip Swann) is
president and publisher of TVPredictions.com. He has been quoted in
dozens of publications and broadcast outlets, including CNN, Fox
News, Inside Edition, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The
Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, The Associated Press and The
Hollywood Reporter. He can be reached at
swann@tvpredictions.com
or at 703-505-3064.
Click
TVPredictions.com
to read more news and features on TV
technology.