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Dismembered Thoughts: This Whole Comcast / Sony Thing
By Dave Dreher
Apr 10, 2006, 19:28

Today brought some interesting news in the “all horror programming” front.  For the last few years there have pretty much been only two contenders in the marketplace neither of which has really set the world on fire getting a “horror channel” for the masses. 

Except for the lucky few of us who can get Monsters HD (since Dish Network makes it so damn expensive and hard for us subscribers to upgrade to the needed equipment) and you in Canada that get Scream TV the rest of us are still stuck with Fear Fridays on AMC and Sci-Fi Channel.  The Horror Channel and Fangoria TV have great notions and the best of intentions but neither of them seem anywhere close to airing a 24 hour all horror programming channel.  Today the scenario got a little more interesting as Comcast and Sony announced their partnership in a VOD all horror channel.  With the success of Howard Sterns VOD venture this really is no surprise to me to see one of the big boys whip out their catalogue and market it to the masses. 

Is it a good idea?  Sure, why not.  I am all for anyone giving me a chance to watch the genre I so love.  I don’t get digital cable so this news really doesn’t apply to me right now but something tells me as folks start making money off all this suddenly it will be available to all.  Speaking of that you’ve got to wonder why Dish Network just doesn’t take Monsters HD off that silly HD only programming pack and make it available to all.  They have a great, great, great channel just not enough of us have the technology, money and patience to bring it on home. 

If you hadn’t heard the news about the Comcast / Sony deal read on below for the report from Reuters:

Comcast Corp. and Sony Pictures Entertainment are scheduled to unveil a joint venture to launch a horror/thriller-themed cable brand at the National Cable & Telecommunications Assn. convention on Monday.

The long-anticipated venture is an outgrowth of the companies' collaboration in Sony's $4.8 billion acquisition of MGM in 2004. Comcast's last-minute investment in the acquisition allowed Sony to complete the deal. The cable operator was motivated to take a stake in part to tap Sony and MGM's film libraries to program multiple cable channels.

Scheduled to launch next Halloween, the untitled horror venture is the first offshoot of the Comcast-Sony linkage, with library titles including "Hostel," "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" and "Panic Room" as just a few of the hundreds of scary films Sony and MGM will provide.

"I think it's a great genre when you look at how successful the movies are at the boxoffice and on the retail side," Sony Pictures Television president Steve Mosko said. "It's one that's really been untapped on the channel side."

But the joint venture will not spawn a linear cable channel. Instead, the brand will exist as a collection of video-on-demand offerings free of charge to Comcast digital subscribers. Advertising is included. The company is seeking distribution with other cable operators as well.

In addition, the brand will have a heavy presence on the Internet and wireless platforms. Original programing is expected to become part of the mix eventually, though in smaller formats more conducive to Internet consumption rather than as full-fledged movies or series.

"Internet is key to this brand," said Diane Robina, president of emerging networks at Comcast. "The target demographics -- 18-24, 18-34 -- are on the Web just as much as they are on TV."

The new brand is the second VOD-centric programming package Comcast has launched under its own auspices without a formal channel component. In January, the operator announced a joint venture with Time Warner Cable to launch an all-exercise on-demand cable offering, ExerciseTV.

The horror offering is the second cable investment Sony has made. The company also has a 50 percent stake in GSN, which airs only game shows; the other half is owned by Liberty Media.

The folks over at THC were quick to post a response to the announcement, you can read that here.

No response from Fangoria TV.

We, the consumer will have the final word but until some competition manages to become available this new Comcast thing may just end up ruling the land.