Gizmodo: columbia pictures

Most Sony Movies Back On Xbox's Netflix Streaming Service

Elaine Chow — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:01:58 EST

With nary an explanation, most of the Sony-owned movies that were mysteriously pulled from Xbox's Netflix Watch Instantly streaming service last week have been put back up again. Ghostbusters, the Karate Kid series and other Columbia Pictures luminaries can now be downloaded for watching. However, anything tagged with an “available through Starz Play” logo, such as Walk Hard or Bad Boys, are still absentia. -Thanks Rodolfo!

Xbox 360 Netflix Streaming Drops Sony's Columbia Pictures

Elaine Chow — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:39:34 EST

In what's a slightly suspicious coincidence, but Sony's suddenly pulled a bunch of its movies from the Xbox's Netflix Watch Instantly streaming service just a few hours before Microsoft's New Xbox Experience goes live. Previously available titles like Superbad and Bad Boys, which are owned by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment subsidiary Columbia Pictures, have been made unavailable for Xbox users. Netflix VP Steve Swasey says there's no foul play involved, and that the NXE Instant Queue had just run into a licensing issue with Columbia Pictures. [Joystiq via Engadget]

RealNetworks Sued for DVD Copying Software That Nobody Wanted Anyway

John Herrman — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:15:00 EDT

Almost reflexively, six studios have filed suit against RealNetworks for their brand-new DVD copying software. RealDVD, as it is (was?) called, was tepidly received on account of crippling DRM which only allows for viewing of a ripped DVD on one PC, precluding the portability that might account for someone wanting to rip a DVD in the first place. That uselessness is precisely why these suits are so interesting; it's difficult to see what the studios—Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Studios, Warner Brothers, Columbia Pictures, the Walt Disney Company and Sony— actually think they stand to lose.

The stakes for RealNetworks aren't terribly high either, as sales of RealDVD might have been slow because of, oh, I don't know, the mountains of free software that does a better and more complete job. Within the day, Real filed a countersuit which could possibly set a new precedent for the interpretation of the Hollywood's DVD license. Even in a best-case scenario, the most legal headway that could probably be made would be to permit neutered software like RealDVD, which would still leave any useful method of DVD backup well outside of the law. [NYT]