BitTorrent Partners with TV and Movie Companies
Written by Ernesto on November 29, 2006BitTorrent Inc just announced that they have teamed up with several TV and movie companies. The new list of partners includes 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, G4, Kadokawa Pictures USA, Lionsgate, MTV Networks (Comedy Central, MTV etc.), Palm Pictures and Starz Media.
These deals will add a great deal of content to the BitTorrent Video Store, including popular movies like Mission: Impossible III and X-Men The Last Standand, and popular TV shows such as ‘Prison Break’ and ‘South Park’. The official launch of the BitTorrent video store was delayed, but it is expected to go live in early 2007
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with world-renowned entertainment companies and TV networks,” said Ashwin Navin, President and co-founder of BitTorrent. “This is a true testament to the value of our community, technology and the position we aspire to play in the world of entertainment and content distribution. Our audience has a voracious appetite for digital content and by offering the titles they want with a solid user experience; it’s a win-win situation for both content providers as well as our users.”
Earlier this year BitTorrent Inc announced deals with several other movie and TV companies including Warner Bros.
Update: We’ve just got word that BitTorrent Inc is going to be getting a massive amount of funding from Accel Partners and Doll Capital Management to the tune of $15-25 million. This is still unconfirmed, but two separate and reliable sources have provided us with the same information. We contacted Ashwin Navin regarding the matter. He told us that there were no fundraising announcements at this point.
What’s worth taking note of is the timing of this rumour. It wouldn’t be highly unexpected for BitTorrent to receive a large amount of funding at this point. They have just signed deals with high-profile content companies and their future suddenly looks bright. It is very possible that the venture capitalists knew of the deal in advance and were waiting for it to fall through to confirm their investments.
Another rumour that has arisen once again is the resignation (or firing) of one of BitTorrent’s co-foudners, and inventor of the technology. According to Giga OM, BitTorrent Inc is replacing Bram Cohen with a more experienced manager. The Silicon Valley-based blog is reporting that a head hunter has been hired and that the company is already on the lookout for someone to take his place. “There is talk about founder and CEO Bram Cohen being replaced by a more seasoned manager, and apparently have hired a head hunter, to lead the search,” writes Om Malik. He then goes on to say, “We have confirmed this information.”
Update: Bram Cohen told P2Pnet: “I’d like you to know that I’m still happily on board at BitTorrent, and not going anywhere.”
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6 Responses
Good to see that the media groups are finally getting a clue, but no way in hell would I pay money to Vivendi or Universal just so that I I can download a movie from them through bittorrent. I mean bittorrent is great for piracy, but if I’m actually shelling out cash to these companies – I expect to be able to download faster, and not have to upload as well (after all I’m paying, so why should I use my bandwidth to help them make money and to help them share their product – I wouldn’t see for something I’m paying for). For non-commercial goods that are free, I have no problem seeding – but for commercial products that I’d be paying a lot for – theres no way in hell that I’m going to pay the full price and help them distribute their product.
If they offer a discounted price for using torrents rather then just downloading straight from their server, I wouldn’t mind it at all. But full price + sharing my bandwidth – no sale! Especially since many of these companies are against net neutrality, and want to cut down on our bandwidth usage – but then they also want us to buy their products and give up whats left of our bandwidth connection to help distribute their products!
Safe to say, G4 will not be a used very much.
If your not going to help upload, then why use bittorrent at all? This puts the bandwidth responsibility back onto the media companies, with all the associated problems (lack of, no redundancy, etc).
A real opportunity exists here for a progressive company to embrace. Install a media box into the home on a dedicated broadband connection that has a friendly menu system and a built in bittorrent client. Select what you want to watch and have it immediately downloaded. The more popular programs naturally receive more bandwidth as there are more units out there with copies to share. I would pay a monthly fee to be able to watch any show I want, when I want.
Looking forward to seeing this come into play. Hopefully it will drive the prices on the media down a bit.
Well unless the price gonna drop a lot, why not?
but if its only a bit, NO WAY JOSE!
there is a difference between bit torrent the COMPANY and bit torrent the protocol. THE COMPANY can sell out all day long to everyone and their grandma with absolutly no effect on the PROTOCOL. basically all that happened was that the movie industry JUST GOT SCAMMED! ha ha ha. Imagine 2 stores in the same shopping center. they both provide the EXACT same products and in both you have to wait in line to get them. The catch is that one store is FREE. This first store would would be the bit torrent protocol. The second store that just opened is the store of the Movie industry. AND THEY CHARGE BIG MONEY for the same thing distributed in the same way. Where are you going to shop? Bit Torrent INC is simply getting paid out the wazoo to start their own legal private tracker that few will ever use! It is hellaciously funny that no one is able to figure this out!!! The movie industry thinks that they just bought the industry with in fact they bought NOTHING. they could have just set up their own bit torrent tracker for the cost of a server and an internet connection without paying Brahm Cohen 20 million bucks to do it for them! all I have to say is… WOW no wonder your business model is in trouble. -Dan
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