Dick, this looks like tuck tail & firefighting rescue manuevering (Comcast rescue of GE & NBC)
LIBERATOR
GE.
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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748703735004574572392440509168.html
Comcast May Test New 'Windows' for Movies on Cable
By LAUREN A. E. SCHUKER
As Comcast Corp. prepares to take control of NBC Universal from
General Electric Co., the cable company's executives are looking to
explore new ways of "windowing."
Windowing—the time periods during which movies can be watched at the
theater, on DVD or on TV—has been a bedrock of the Hollywood business
model for years. But according to people close to the matter, Comcast
wants to use Universal's vast film library to expand its own video-on-
demand opportunities.
Further in the future, Comcast could break what has been a taboo in
the movie business: allowing consumers to watch a film at home while
it is still being shown in theaters. In that case, Comcast would bet
that its cable customers would pay a premium to see a just-released
film. But it remains unclear if Comcast favors shifting that
particular window.
But innovations in those areas may take longer than Comcast and others
expect, said individuals close to the studio, because of key
relationships with chains such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the biggest
DVD retailer in the U.S.
DVD sales, which for years propped up the Hollywood studios, have
rapidly declined in recent months, and executives are looking to
digital distributionas the next growth area for an industry that has
long relied on home-entertainment sales to boost its bottom line.
But Hollywood studios have been reluctant to encourage video on
demand, in part because of fears it may cannibalize DVD sales or
offend important retailers like Wal-Mart. Multiplex owners might also
be skittish about studios releasing movies on video on demand before
they finish their theatrical run.
Once the deal closes, which could take a year or more, Comcast could
encourage other studios to experiment more with windows and video-on-
demand by trying new tactics with Universal's own coming film slate.
Universal declined to comment, but people close to the studio caution
that previous acquisitions in the industry didn't immediately result
in new pathways in digital distribution. For other areas of the
studio, the deal wouldn't necessarily have an immediate impact.
Because making a film takes years, the studio has already set most of
its slate for next year and some of 2011.
Universal is emerging from a rocky year. When Comcast executives pored
over NBC Universal's operations in September and October, they were
disappointed by the poor performance of the studio, said people
familiar with the matter. They also were surprised by its weak
outlook, with underwhelming movies in the pipeline and shrinking DVD
sales.
Earlier this fall, Universal Studios shuffled its top leadership after
a string of disappointments at the box office, including the summer's
"Land of the Lost."
In October, the company forced out Universal Pictures Chairmen Marc
Shmuger and David Linde, and Ron Meyer, president of Universal Studios
named Adam Fogelson, previously head of marketing and distribution at
Universal, as chairman, and production president Donna Langley as co-
chairman of Universal Pictures.
The new team faces a risky slate next spring, when the studio releases
three big-budget films that rival executives say are risky prospects:
"The Wolfman," "Untitled Robin Hood Adventure" and "Green Zone."