In today’s Daily Bite, BSkyB makes a bid to rival movie download services such as Netflix; Studicanal make their first major purchase outside of Europe and ITV studios creates a position for a new creative director of comedy as it bids to produce more unscripted comedy formats.
Sky launches internet TV service Now TV…BSkyB has today launched its internet service Now TV with the aim of taking on rivals such as Netflix. The online service is currently only available in the UK but will shortly be launched in Ireland. It offers movies for £15 a month or from 99p to £3.49 per view. The service has been launched on PC, Mac and some Android smartphones. It will initially only offer Sky Movies content with access to 600 films and 11 channels. However, Sky Sports content as well as channels including Sky1, Sky Arts and Sky Atlantic will be made available at a future date. The new service will see Sky aiming to break beyond its pay-TV service. However, the £15 monthly subscription price is more expensive than US rival Netflix and Amazon’s LoveFilm, which are targeting customers from £5 to £7.
Studiocanal buys Hoyts Distribution…European film and TV giant Studiocanal has bought Australian and New Zealand distribution company the Hoyts Group, reports Variety. It marks the first purchase outside of Europe for Paris-based Studiocanal, which has distribution arms in France, the UK and Germany. The move sees Studiocanal enter a growing market with box office takings in Australia up every year since 2006, with the 2011 takings hitting AUS$1bn.
ITV Studios appoints creative director of comedy entertainment… ITV has appointed Laura Gibson to the newly created role of creative director of comedy entertainment at its ITV Studios unit. The appointment comes as the company looks to develop more comedy shows. Gibson will be responsible for developing and exec producing unscripted comedy formats for the ITV network and non-ITV channels, as well as nurturing new comedy talent.
If you watch one trailer today…Egg post-production in Dublin was behind some of the VFX work on Sky One’s ‘Sinbad’. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at some of their work on episode two.
