Fox to Bow Premium VOD by June

2 Feb, 2011 By: Erik Gruenwedel

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment appears to be the second major studio to commit to offering premium video-on-demand to consumers in the home by the first half of the year.

Chase Carey, president and COO of Fox parent News Corp., Feb. 2 said he was amenable to the concept of offering select new releases to homes 60 days after their theatrical launch, provided it did not encroach upon the theatrical experience for consumers.

Premium VOD is Hollywood’s newest marketing effort aimed at generating higher margins from consumers willing to pay extra to watch select theatrical releases in the home weeks before the disc release.

“Premium VOD is very important to us,” Carey said, with elaborating what Fox titles would be earmarked for the new distribution window.

Earlier in the day Time Warner CEO Jeffrey Bewkes said Warner Home Video would release select titles on premium VOD by the second quarter.