Andre Yoskowitz
16 Aug 2012 7:48
HBO has renewed a content rights deal with Twentieth Century Fox, making it a bit more flexible than the old contract.
The deal had been set to expire in 2015, but will now expire in 2022.
As with other HBO deals, the contract means you will be able to watch new Fox movies on HBO a few months/years after they reach DVD/Blu-ray.
As for the flexibility, the new contract includes a "softening" of the "electronic sell-through" window, says AllThingsD.
What this means for the consumer is that, for the first time ever, Fox will be able to sell their content electronically at the same time HBO has made it available on TV. Until now, HBO had first run rights that blocked the studio from renting or selling their movies while HBO was playing them for the first time.
Fox can now sell, but still cannot rent the content, so Amazon and iTunes fans must wait a bit longer, as they currently do.