Andre Yoskowitz
16 Sep 2008 18:54
The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has begun offering over 6000 movie and TV shows on the site for free today, offering the streaming films with "minimal advertising interruption."
Col Needham, founder and managing director of IMDb.com, added, "We're excited to offer our users a simple online experience to watch full-length movies and TV episodes for free...our goal is to show our users every movie and TV show on the Internet for free on IMDb.com."
The new move will however also provide a new revenue opportunity for the giant e-tailer Amazon, which owns IMDB.
"On title pages where IMDb does not have the content available for free, users can click on the Amazon Video On Demand button to rent or purchase the video from Amazon," an Amazon spokesperson said. "It's great to offer customers choice. They can decide whether to watch an ad-supported movie or show on IMDb for free or rent or purchase a movie and show immediately from AVOD without commercials. So it's really the best of both worlds for TV and movie fans."
The content is coming from CBS, Hulu.com, Sony Pictures Television, and more than 500 independent filmmakers but it is unclear how the advertising revenue will be split.
You can check out the new IMDB video section here: IMDB featured videos