This could be big. Warner Bros. announced today that it will be bringing video-on-demand to what is potentially the world’s largest movie-watching market: China. The service is anticipated to be in three million Chinese homes by the end of the summer.
The VOD will be called YOU On Demand, is the first of its kind in China and could potentially bring new release and catalog titles to 200 million cable households.
Jim Wuthrich, president of International Home Video and Digital Distribution for Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, said the following in a press release:
“China is developing methods for consumers to view movies outside the cinema in a legitimate fashion . . . Through YOU On Demand’s platform, millions of potential consumers will be able to view our films. They will make it easy for consumers to see the latest films including ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.’”
It is interesting to note Wuthrich’s comment about “legitimate” movie-watching, which is a nod to the rampant piracy that studios are plagued by in China. It is likely that at least part of the impetus for this new service is a desire to provide a legal alternative to illicit content distribution.
How will Warner’s new VOD service fare in China, Insiders? Will we be seeing more studios staking their claim in the world’s most populous country?
(via The Wrap)
How will Warner’s new VOD service fare in China, Insiders?
Just like google… expect a lot of censorship ;)
Remember: it’s the *Peoples’ Republic of China*– a very oppressive communist country!
No studio is going to ignore a market that big.
Warner won’t do it right though. They’ll go in with the standard Amazon-esque PPV service and people will ignore it, or worse use it as the source of all the pirate DVDs that ship over from Hong Kong.
Good news to video pirates, expect picture quality to improve as Warner brings HD to them as well ;)