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Hollywood Suite - 4 HD movies channels launch in November

57K views 193 replies 74 participants last post by  Dougofthenorth 
#1 ·
Hollywood Suite, four new high-definition channels for the True Movie Lover, announces its launch across Canada this November. Featuring commercial-free HD movies 24/7, uncut and unedited, Hollywood Suite is the exclusive home of movie channels from both Warner Bros. and MGM.

The announcement to bring these major motion picture studio brands to Canadian television was made by Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, President, Warner Bros.

Hollywood Suite is a single, connected movie destination providing a pure, high quality, affordable movie experience, accessible anywhere at any time. Available across Canada, subscribers can choose from over 450 different movie titles every month on television - with a selection available on demand, on-line and on mobile - all for one low monthly fee from their television service provider.

The Hollywood Suite is:

  • Warner Films - one of the most successful and recognized entertainment brands in the world, with an extensive world class library of film titles
  • The MGM Channel - showcasing movies from the famous Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer library including modern masterpieces and gems from Hollywood's golden age
  • Hollywood Storm - ultimate action films involving the best in epic adventure
  • Hollywood Festival - critically acclaimed independent and major studio romance and relationship films

The Hollywood Suite channels will be available across Canada on cable, satellite and IPTV. Pricing and packaging will be announced closer to launch.
 
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#8 ·
On first glance, this appears to be a great suite of movie channels, all movies will be uncut, commercial-free and in HD!
Nice move to pickup WB TV & MGM Channel, too bad they couldn't have brought in Fox Movie Channel or Sony Movie Channel?! Interested to see what content Hollywood Storm & Hollywood Festival will have- will they air movies from other studios or will they also air movies from Warner Bros. & MGM?! I hope they can secure content from the other major studios including Universal, Sony, Paramount & 20th Century Fox as well as some flicks from indie companies.
 
#13 ·
This is pretty much an unknown until we get concrete details on pricing and movies.

TMN and Movie Central made $64 million last year on revenues of $244 million so even if Astral and Corus cut out their profits, it would still cost somewhere around $15 a month for those stations.

Can Hollywood Suite really offer a competitive offering to TMN and Movie Central for $5, $10 or $15 a month. Also TMN and Movie Central have HBO and Showtime programming which makes them much more attractive than "just" a movie channel.

You would think then that Hollywood Suite would need near universal distribution to make any money and to undercut TMN and MC.

I really can't see Shaw and Shaw Direct picking this up as it would compete with all their movie channels including Movie Central so already that's 35% of homes in Canada without it.
 
#14 ·
all for one low monthly fee from their television service provider.
Even more fragmentation of the TV movie market and another increase in BDU TV costs. If it's low cost and commercial free, I can live with it. This also explains the dearth of movies on other movies channels. If this trend continues, the only source of Hollywood movies may soon be from channels owned by the movie studios themselves.

There may be issues with carriage. Shaw Direct does not have the space for more HD channels until their new satellite is operational next year. They could add some with a switch to MPEG4 but there is no indication that will happen soon. BellTV also has very little space for more HD until they switch to MPEG4, which likely won't be until next year. Even then, space on these services will be squeezed by mandated carriage of new HD OTA locals.
 
#15 ·
This wouldn't be in direct competition with The Movie Network. According to an article in today's Globe:

...the channels will show movies that come after the pay-TV “window” -- that is, pay TV stations have exclusive rights to show movies on television typically for about 18 months following the DVD releases, Mr. Switzer said. The new channels will specialize in contemporary films that are finished their pay TV run, and reach all the way back to the classic vaults.
 
#16 ·
Not sure how you can say that 4 movie networks wouldn't be in competition with The Movie Network and MPIX.
 
#17 ·
well AT least !!! an MGM HD channel brand in canada ...it ain't the american one but at least a start
Actually its the same channel that is available in many countries around the world: MGM Channel

Also TMN and Movie Central have HBO and Showtime programming which makes them much more attractive than "just" a movie channel.
Not for me it doesn't. I am a film buff and I don't care about HBO/Showtime programming, only movies. I am sure there are many others out there who enjoy watching movies but aren't interested in the other content which makes these channels attractive and a better alternative IMO.

Hopefully they can secure the rights to films from other studios, including some indie companies.
 
#18 ·
PlayItSimple, you are the minority though. HBO and Showtime programming has been huge for Astral and Corus hence the creation of the HBO Canada station.

Plus TMN, has a multiplex of channels Mfun, MFest, mExcess, HBO channels so unless Hollywood Suite comes in a lot cheaper, it will be really tough and if they come in cheaper they will need a ton of subs.

As I noted earlier though, we really need to see line-ups and pricing to know if this will be attractive enough to compete or ends up like SuperChannel (i.e./ bleeding cash)
 
#19 ·
The minority indeed, the HBO & Showtime shows are terrific and probably the only reason Movie Network/Central do so well!

If the Hollywood Suite channels are cheap enough I'll absolutely add them being that they are all in HD... by cheap I mean $10 or less! I find the only HD movie channels on my cable I ever watch are Encore Avenue & AMC, but most my movie watching is on another system.
 
#20 ·
But?

Can Canada support it?

You basically got 3 "Movie Channels

Movie Central - Western Canada(and all its sub channels)
TMN - Eastern Canada(and all its sub channels)
Super channel - Across Canada(and all its sub channels0

Can Canada really support this service?

You have Movietime all though they show commericals I've sen alot of their movies uncut.

You also have Action & Diva, not to mention IFC, Dusk, Silver Screen Classics, Movieola & to an extent AMC & TCM?

The thing is Canada only has a pop of 35m or so and out of that how many sub to either cable, IPTV or sat. And out of that how many sub to all or some of those "movie" services?

Don't get me wrong the more selection you have the more better it is for the consumer.As to what price or if you'll able to package it with other movie channels still remains to be seen? But I hope you can.

One thing if I read correctly there will only be 4 HD channels but I'm guess no SD versions? That leaves out alot of potential subs.
 
#22 ·
i would welcome any new movie channels. the only reason i sub to the movie network package now is because of HBO. the movie channels for me show like 5% of movies i want to watch. and channels like action and showtime now suck. most of the time these channels just have 2 movies playing on repeat all day.
 
#23 ·
Hooray for Hollywood Suite!

I don't have HD, but I'm still very curious as to what will be offered.

http://www.mediacastermagazine.com/...movie-service-to-launch-in-canada/1000544909/

"With a number of leading financial backers including Alliance Films, and with studio support from Warner Bros., MGM, and Alliance, as well as many Canadian producers, we know these channels will be exceptionally well received in Canada."
----

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bu...tantially-cheaper-than-netflix-128266163.html

Hollywood Suite was not designed to compete directly against the higher-priced premium movie channels like TMN and Movie Central, says co-founder Jay Switzer. Instead, it'll take on the cheaper specialty movie channels, which run commercials during films and sometimes edit out parts of movies.

President and co-founder David Kines would not say how much Hollywood Suite will cost — it will be priced by cable and satellite companies — but added that it would be "substantially cheaper than Netflix," which is $8 a month.

Cable and satellite companies will also be able to offer Hollywood Suite's stable of films online. Switzer says a minimum of 80 movies will be available to stream online at any given time.

Kines named "Blade Runner," "Casablanca" and "A Clockwork Orange" as examples of some of the quality titles that will be available through Hollywood Suite but are not on Netflix.
 
#24 ·
...the more selection you have the more better [sic] it is for the consumer...
This is not always the case. For example a studio might enter into an exclusive agreement with one movie network and not another, so in order to see a movie from that studio or another studio, you'd need to sub to two movie channel providers, or perhaps rent the "missing" movie on BD/DVD etc, which is what I do if it's of significant interest. I have TMN, but not SC and this happened with them.

There's also "The Paradox of Choice".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paradox_of_Choice:_Why_More_Is_Less


"Blade Runner," "Casablanca" and "A Clockwork Orange"
[sarcasm] Wow! I haven't seen those before" [/sarcasm]
 
#26 ·
Can Canada support it?
Absolutely! Virtually every specialty channel in Canada is screamingly profitable. There is still a lot of money to be made in this business. Until specialty channels start closing up liek regular businesses, there is money to be made.
 
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