CinemaNow explained

CinemaNow, LLC
Type:Privately held
Founder:Curt Marvis and Bruce Eisen
Location City:Los Angeles, California
Location Country:USA
Area Served:US, Canada and United Kingdom
Industry:Video on demand
Services:Video content delivery
Num Employees:120

CinemaNow was an international over-the-top (OTT) provider of on-demand, Internet streaming media available to viewers in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The company was founded in 1999 and was headquartered in Los Angeles, California.[1] CinemaNow changed hands several times over the years and was eventually shut down on August 1, 2017.

History

CinemaNow was founded in 1999 as one of the first on-demand Internet streaming media platforms. The Company was backed by EchoStar, Cisco Systems, Index Holdings, Menlo Ventures, Lionsgate, and Microsoft.[2] [3]

In November 2008, Sonic Solutions acquired CinemaNow.[4] In January 2009, Sonic and Blockbuster, Inc. announced a strategic alliance to provide digital content delivery under the Blockbuster brand, essentially merging the digital storefronts of CinemaNow and its erstwhile competitor.

In 2010, Sonic Solutions and Best Buy announced a strategic alliance which resulted in Best Buy's acquiring the CinemaNow brand.[5] [6] Sonic Solutions rebranded the CinemaNow movie technology as RoxioNow, which became a white label movie store business.[7] Sonic Solutions was acquired by Rovi Corporation for $775 million in December 2010[8] and continued to operate the white label movie store business, which was renamed the Rovi Entertainment Store.[9] [10]

In July 2013, Rovi announced that the Rovi Entertainment Store had been acquired by Reliance Majestic Holdings LLC, a new media company backed by Proveho Capital, a private equity firm based in Austin, Texas.[11] [12] In July 2014, Best Buy sold the CinemaNow business to the private equity firm Regent Equity Partners.

The company changed hands again in January 2016, when Regent Equity Partners sold CinemaNow to the UK-based company FilmOn.[13] Reports surfaced in August 2017 that the site had become inaccessible, and it was later confirmed that CinemaNow had been removed from Ultraviolet's list of providers.[14] [15]

Products and services

The CinemaNow platform was available on the web, on mobile devices running Android and iOS, on PlayStation and Xbox game consoles, and on CE devices including LG, Panasonic, Samsung, and Toshiba.[16] [17] Videos from CinemaNow are available for electronic sell-through via Download To Own, in the home video release window, DVD burning, as well as rental time-limited viewing in the pay-per-view window.[18] As of 2016, the company had 55,000 movies and TV episodes in its library.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Retail: CinemaNow, Inc.. BusinessWeek. June 16, 2009. June 16, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090616122324/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=596260 .
  2. News: CinemaNow lands $20 million, to keep up with everyone else. VentureBeat. July 12, 2006 . May 17, 2016 . Matt. Marshall . March 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040723/http://venturebeat.com/2006/07/12/cinemanow-lands-20-million-to-keep-up-with-everyone-else/ . live.
  3. CinemaNow Secures $20.3 Million Investment. CinemaNow via vFinance.com. n.d. . May 9, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150509025158/http://www.vfinance.com/invest/invest.asp?ToolPage=vcim_detail.asp&id=5996.
  4. News: Sonic Solutions to Buy CinemaNow. November 19, 2008. Chris . Albrecht . . May 17, 2016. March 5, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305102923/https://gigaom.com/2008/11/19/sonic-solutions-to-buy-cinemanow/ . live.
  5. News: Best option: Best Buy acquires CinemaNow name for its digital video offering. May 18, 2010 . Ben. Fritz. . May 17, 2016 . May 10, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150510032502/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2010/05/best-buy-acquires-cinemanow-brand-for-its-digital-video-offering.html . live.
  6. News: Best Buy breaking into movie downloads?. April 17, 2009 . VentureBeat . Terrence. Russell. March 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032921/http://venturebeat.com/2009/04/17/best-buy-breaking-into-movie-downloads/ . live.
  7. News: Sonic Solutions to launch richer version of CinemaNow movie service. January 4, 2010 . Dean. Takahashi. VentureBeat . May 17, 2016. March 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061517/http://venturebeat.com/2010/01/04/sonic-solutions-to-launch-new-version-of-cinemanow-movie-service/ . live.
  8. News: Rovi to Buy Sonic Solutions for $775 Million to Add Streaming to Listings . December 23, 2010 . Bloomberg News. May 17, 2016 . . August 6, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140806171325/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-23/rovi-to-buy-sonic-solutions-to-expand-in-digital-entertainment-business.html . dead .
  9. News: Target Opens Digital Video Store, Designed to Shield Kids from R-Rated Content. Todd. Spangler . . September 25, 2013 . May 17, 2016. March 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112727/http://variety.com/2013/digital/news/target-opens-digital-video-store-designed-to-shield-kids-from-r-rated-content-1200667243/ . live.
  10. Rovi Announces Intent to Pursue Sale of Rovi Entertainment Store Business and Narrows Estimates Range for Fiscal 2012. January 3, 2013. May 17, 2016. . March 5, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305201431/https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2013/01/03/514574/10017001/en/Rovi-Announces-Intent-to-Pursue-Sale-of-Rovi-Entertainment-Store-Business-and-Narrows-Estimates-Range-for-Fiscal-2012.html . live.
  11. Rovi Corporation Reports Second Quarter 2013 Financial Performance Announces Agreements to Sell Rovi Entertainment Store and Consumer Website Businesses. . July 31, 2013 . May 17, 2016. March 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060522/http://www.marketwatch.com/story/rovi-corporation-reports-second-quarter-2013-financial-performance-2013-07-31#:xJp7jijsvzC4OA . live.
  12. News: DivX likely to draw interest from strategics. . Sarah . Pringle . November 6, 2013 . July 17, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150717044010/http://www.thedeal.com/content/tmt/divx-likely-to-draw-interest-from-strategics.php.
  13. News: Spangler. Todd . January 27, 2016. FilmOn Buys CinemaNow Movie, TV Digital Storefront. Variety. May 17, 2016. February 14, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160214030942/http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/filmon-buys-cinemanow-1201689797/ . live.
  14. Web site: CinemaNow movie website & platform is no more. Chabot. Jeff. August 8, 2017. HD Report. August 6, 2018.
  15. Web site: CinemaNow Suddenly Shuts Down Leaving Users Unable to Access Their Movies. Bouma. Luke. September 7, 2017. Cord Cutters News. August 6, 2018.
  16. News: CinemaNow app comes to Xbox Live. SlashGear . Mark. Raby. August 14, 2014. May 16, 2012 . April 23, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160423101626/http://www.slashgear.com/cinemanow-app-comes-to-xbox-live-16228731/ . live.
  17. News: Cinema Now movies-on-demand service to be built into Best Buy's web-connected gadgets. VentureBeat . Dean. Takahashi. November 3, 2009 . May 17, 2016 . March 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041945/http://venturebeat.com/2009/11/03/cinema-now-movies-on-demand-service-to-be-built-into-most-of-best-buys-web-connected-gadgets/ . live.
  18. News: Best Buy's CinemaNow opens home disc-to-digital program, makes cloud copies of DVDs for a fee. Richard . Lawler . . August 14, 2014. December 20, 2012 . December 24, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121224005852/http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/20/best-buys-cinemanow-kicks-home-disc-to-digital-program-gives-d . live.

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