Warner Bros.

Amazon Gets Into the Sitcom Business

Peter Kafka in Media on May 2 at 8:30 am PT

And the kids’-show business, too. Yet another big Web company says it’s going to make its own videos. How soon before Jeff Bezos finds a “Seinfeld”?

Paramount, Google Link Up for Movie Rentals

Peter Kafka in Media on April 4 at 5:00 am PT

So what about that copyright lawsuit that Paramount parent Viacom filed against Google nearly five years ago? Still going ….

Netflix, Whitney Houston and the Great Streaming Video Outrage That Didn’t Happen

Peter Kafka in Media on February 20 at 3:11 pm PT

That story about an evil Hollywood studio pulling “The Bodyguard” away from Netflix, so it could sell more DVDs? “Completely bogus.”

Verizon Teams With Redbox for a Netflix-Style Video Service

Peter Kafka in Media on February 6 at 6:22 am PT

Here’s the Netflix-style video service that Verizon wouldn’t talk about a couple months ago — a joint venture with Redbox, which has an uneasy relationship with a lot of big media companies.

News Byte

“Abduction” Is Facebook’s First “Day-and-Date” Movie Rental

Peter Kafka in Media on January 17 at 1:25 pm PT

Lionsgate is letting Facebook users stream rentals of “Abduction” via the site today, at the same time the Taylor Lautner movie is coming out on discs and conventional digital outlets. Last year Warner Bros. became the first studio to offer rentals via Facebook, but until now the movies have all been older catalog releases. A 48-hour rental via Facebook costs $3.99; Milyoni, a start-up that specializes in Facebook commerce, is handling the transaction.

Hollywood Showdown: Blockbuster, Redbox Balk at Warner’s New Window

Peter Kafka in Media on January 6 at 5:08 pm PT

Warner Bros. wants to keep its DVDs out of the hands of renters for an extra month. Blockbuster and Redbox don’t want to play along.

Jeff Bewkes Renames Netflix: It’s Not the Albanian Army, It’s a Flying Hamburger

Peter Kafka in News on December 5, 2011 at 3:30 am PT

The Time Warner CEO is happy to take Reed Hastings’ money, though.

New Titles Marginally Boost Lagging Videogame Market in October

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on November 11, 2011 at 4:15 pm PT

The videogame industry grew by a minuscule, but welcomed, 1 percent in October, driven by hardcore game launches such as Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham City.

Disney Double Dips: Renews Netflix Deal for ABC Shows, Adds Amazon

Peter Kafka in Media on October 31, 2011 at 3:54 am PT

Another example of why the Web video boom is (currently) a great boon to Big TV: Like CBS and Time Warner earlier this month, Disney sells the same stuff twice.