p2pnet news | TV:- “Viacom Inc., its Paramount Pictures unit, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) and Lionsgate have formed a joint venture that creates a next- generation premium television channel and video on demand service that combines new and classic feature film output and original television series of five leading studios,” says a press statement issued on Sunday.

The Hollywood Reporter is calling it a bombshell, saying the news is “ricocheting around Hollywood,” today, leaving cable industry observers, “wondering whether the newly anticipated pay TV channel is for real or simply a bluff in continued negotiations between Showtime and the three venture partners, which have long-term movie output deals with the pay cabler”.

“Conspiracists” see clues to the, “phantom-channel theory everywhere including the suspicious lack of detail in the launch announcement, which was oddly scheduled on a Sunday afternoon - read by some as an attempt to evade scrutiny in the media or on W andall Street,” says the story, going on:

Viacom had no comment, “but a source close to the studios” asserted, “This is a real venture.”

Meanwhile, the new premium channel will launch in the fall next year, said the statement.

It’ll have, “access to Paramount and Paramount Vantage titles released theatrically on or after January 1, 2008 and MGM, United Artists and Lionsgate titles released theatrically on or after January 1, 2009,” it says, going on its programming slate will have exclusive access “during the pay television window” to the likes of the controversial Tom Cruise movie,l Valkyrie, “along with many others currently in production including planned new installments of Robocop and Outer Limits,” as well as the “vast libraries” of the five studios.

Viacom will provide operational support to the venture, including marketing and affiliate services through its MTV Networks division, they say.

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press statement - Viacom, Paramount, MGM and Lionsgate Form New Joint Venture to Create an Innovative Premium Entertainment Service, April 20, 2008
Hollywood Reporter - New Viacom net spurs intrigue, April 21, 2008
New Viacom net spurs intrigue

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 at 12:51 pm and is filed under TV, Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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