CinemaNow
{{Short description|Streaming media company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = CinemaNow, LLC
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1999}}
| founder = Curt Marvis and Bruce Eisen
| defunct = {{End date and age|2017|08|01}}
| location_city = Los Angeles, California
| location_country = USA
| area_served = US, Canada and United Kingdom
| industry = Video on demand
| services = Video content delivery
| num_employees = 120
| parent = Sonic Solutions {{small|(2008–2010)}}
Best Buy {{small|(2010–2014)}}
Regent Equity Partners {{small|(2014–2016)}}
FilmOn {{small|(2016–2017)}}
}}
CinemaNow was an international over-the-top (OTT) provider of video on demand and streaming media. It was available to viewers in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The company was founded in 1999 and was headquartered in Los Angeles, California. CinemaNow was sold several times and was eventually shut down on August 1, 2017.
The CinemaNow platform was available on the web, on mobile devices running Android and iOS, on PlayStation and Xbox game consoles, and on CE devices including LG, Panasonic, Samsung, and Toshiba.{{cite news|title=CinemaNow app comes to Xbox Live |url=http://www.slashgear.com/cinemanow-app-comes-to-xbox-live-16228731/| publisher=SlashGear | first=Mark |last=Raby |access-date=August 14, 2014|date=May 16, 2012 | archive-date=April 23, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423101626/http://www.slashgear.com/cinemanow-app-comes-to-xbox-live-16228731/ | url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=Cinema Now movies-on-demand service to be built into Best Buy's web-connected gadgets |url=https://venturebeat.com/2009/11/03/cinema-now-movies-on-demand-service-to-be-built-into-most-of-best-buys-web-connected-gadgets/ |work=VentureBeat |first=Dean| last=Takahashi| date=November 3, 2009 | access-date=May 17, 2016 | archive-date=March 4, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041945/http://venturebeat.com/2009/11/03/cinema-now-movies-on-demand-service-to-be-built-into-most-of-best-buys-web-connected-gadgets/ | url-status=live}} Videos from CinemaNow were available for electronic sell-through via Download To Own, in the home video release window, DVD burning, as well as rental time-limited viewing in the pay-per-view window.{{cite news |url=https://www.engadget.com/2012/12/20/best-buys-cinemanow-kicks-home-disc-to-digital-program-gives-d/ |title=Best Buy's CinemaNow opens home disc-to-digital program, makes cloud copies of DVDs for a fee| first=Richard | last=Lawler | work=Engadget |date=December 20, 2012 | archive-date=December 24, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121224005852/http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/20/best-buys-cinemanow-kicks-home-disc-to-digital-program-gives-d | url-status=live}} As of 2016, the company had 55,000 movies and TV episodes in its library.
History
CinemaNow was founded in 1999 as one of the first video on demand Internet streaming media platforms.
In July 2004, it raised an $11 million Series D round from Menlo Ventures, Cisco Systems and Lions Gate Entertainment.{{Cite news | url=https://socaltech.com/cinemanow_raises___m/s-0000782.html | title=CinemaNow Raises $11M | work=SocalTech | date=July 27, 2004}}
In July 2006, it raised a $20.3 million Series E round from EchoStar, Cisco Systems, Index Holdings, Menlo Ventures, Lions Gate Entertainment, and Microsoft.{{cite news | url=https://venturebeat.com/2006/07/12/cinemanow-lands-20-million-to-keep-up-with-everyone-else/ | title=CinemaNow lands $20 million, to keep up with everyone else | work=VentureBeat | first=Matt| last=Marshall | date=July 12, 2006 | archive-date=March 4, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040723/http://venturebeat.com/2006/07/12/cinemanow-lands-20-million-to-keep-up-with-everyone-else/ | url-status=live}}{{cite news | url=https://www.forbes.com/2006/07/12/internet-movie-download_cx_lh_0713movie.html | title=CinemaNow Adds $20 Million | work=Forbes | date=July 13, 2006 | url-access=limited}}{{cite news | url=https://www.denverpost.com/2006/07/13/echostar-invests-in-cinemanow/ | title=EchoStar invests in CinemaNow | agency=Bloomberg News | work=The Denver Post | date=July 13, 2006}}
In November 2008, Sonic Solutions acquired CinemaNow.{{cite news | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/cinemanow-is-sold-sonic-123268/ | title=CinemaNow is sold to Sonic | first=Georg | last=Szalai | agency=Associated Press | work=The Hollywood Reporter | date=November 19, 2008}}{{cite news | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/online-movie-service-cinemanow-acquired-by-sonic-solutions/ | title=Online Movie Service Cinemanow Acquired By Sonic Solutions | first=Rafat | last=Ali | work=CBS News | date=November 19, 2008}}
In January 2009, Sonic and Blockbuster announced a strategic alliance to provide digital content delivery under the Blockbuster brand, essentially merging the digital storefronts of CinemaNow and Blockbuster.{{Cite news | url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2009/01/blockbuster-finally-makes-big-online-move-with-cinemanow/ | title=Blockbuster finally makes big online move with CinemaNow | first=Jacqui | last=Cheng | work=Ars Technica | date=January 15, 2009}}
In 2010, Sonic Solutions and Best Buy announced a strategic alliance which resulted in Best Buy's acquiring the CinemaNow brand.{{cite news |title=Best option: Best Buy acquires CinemaNow name for its digital video offering |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/company-town-blog/story/2010-05-18/best-option-best-buy-acquires-cinemanow-name-for-its-digital-video-offering | first=Ben |last=Fritz| work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 18, 2010 | url-access=limited | archive-date=May 10, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510032502/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2010/05/best-buy-acquires-cinemanow-brand-for-its-digital-video-offering.html |url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Best Buy breaking into movie downloads?|url=https://venturebeat.com/2009/04/17/best-buy-breaking-into-movie-downloads/|date=April 17, 2009 | work=VentureBeat | first=Terrence| last=Russell| archive-date=March 4, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032921/http://venturebeat.com/2009/04/17/best-buy-breaking-into-movie-downloads/ | url-status=live}}
Sonic Solutions rebranded the CinemaNow movie technology as RoxioNow, which became a white label movie store business.{{cite news |url=https://venturebeat.com/2010/01/04/sonic-solutions-to-launch-new-version-of-cinemanow-movie-service/
|title=Sonic Solutions to launch richer version of CinemaNow movie service | first=Dean| last=Takahashi| work=VentureBeat |date=January 4, 2010 | archive-date=March 4, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061517/http://venturebeat.com/2010/01/04/sonic-solutions-to-launch-new-version-of-cinemanow-movie-service/ | url-status=live}} Sonic Solutions was acquired by Rovi Corporation for $775 million in December 2010{{cite news |title=Rovi to Buy Sonic Solutions for $775 Million to Add Streaming to Listings |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-23/rovi-to-buy-sonic-solutions-to-expand-in-digital-entertainment-business.html |date=December 23, 2010 |work=Bloomberg News|access-date=May 17, 2016 |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |archive-date=August 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140806171325/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-23/rovi-to-buy-sonic-solutions-to-expand-in-digital-entertainment-business.html |url-status=dead }} and continued to operate the white label movie store business, which was renamed the Rovi Entertainment Store.{{cite news|title=Target Opens Digital Video Store, Designed to Shield Kids from R-Rated Content|url=https://variety.com/2013/digital/news/target-opens-digital-video-store-designed-to-shield-kids-from-r-rated-content-1200667243/ |first=Todd |last=Spangler | work=Variety | date=September 25, 2013 | access-date=May 17, 2016| archive-date=March 4, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112727/http://variety.com/2013/digital/news/target-opens-digital-video-store-designed-to-shield-kids-from-r-rated-content-1200667243/ | url-status=live}}{{cite press release|title=Rovi Announces Intent to Pursue Sale of Rovi Entertainment Store Business and Narrows Estimates Range for Fiscal 2012|url=http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2013/01/03/514574/10017001/en/Rovi-Announces-Intent-to-Pursue-Sale-of-Rovi-Entertainment-Store-Business-and-Narrows-Estimates-Range-for-Fiscal-2012.html | date=January 3, 2013| access-date=May 17, 2016|publisher=Rovi via Globe Newswire | archive-date=March 5, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305201431/https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2013/01/03/514574/10017001/en/Rovi-Announces-Intent-to-Pursue-Sale-of-Rovi-Entertainment-Store-Business-and-Narrows-Estimates-Range-for-Fiscal-2012.html |url-status=live}}
In July 2013, Rovi announced that the Rovi Entertainment Store had been acquired by Reliance Majestic Holdings LLC, a new media company backed by Proveho Capital, a private equity firm based in Austin, Texas.{{cite press release|title=Rovi Corporation Reports Second Quarter 2013 Financial Performance Announces Agreements to Sell Rovi Entertainment Store and Consumer Website Businesses|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/rovi-corporation-reports-second-quarter-2013-financial-performance-2013-07-31 | publisher=Rovi via MarketWatch |date=July 31, 2013 |access-date=May 17, 2016| archive-date=March 4, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060522/http://www.marketwatch.com/story/rovi-corporation-reports-second-quarter-2013-financial-performance-2013-07-31#:xJp7jijsvzC4OA |url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=DivX likely to draw interest from strategics|url=http://www.thedeal.com/content/tmt/divx-likely-to-draw-interest-from-strategics.php| work=The Deal | first=Sarah |last=Pringle | date=November 6, 2013 |archive-date=July 17, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717044010/http://www.thedeal.com/content/tmt/divx-likely-to-draw-interest-from-strategics.php}} In July 2014, Best Buy sold the CinemaNow business to the private equity firm Regent Equity Partners.
The company changed hands again in January 2016, when Regent Equity Partners sold CinemaNow to the UK-based company FilmOn.{{cite news| last=Spangler|first=Todd |date=January 27, 2016|url=https://variety.com/2016/digital/news/filmon-buys-cinemanow-1201689797/ |title=FilmOn Buys CinemaNow Movie, TV Digital Storefront|work=Variety|access-date=May 17, 2016| archive-date=February 14, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160214030942/http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/filmon-buys-cinemanow-1201689797/ |url-status=live}} Reports surfaced in August 2017 that the site had become inaccessible, and it was later confirmed that CinemaNow had been removed from Ultraviolet's list of providers.{{cite web|url=https://hd-report.com/2017/08/08/cinemanow-movie-website-platform-is-no-more/|title=CinemaNow movie website & platform is no more|last=Chabot|first=Jeff|date=August 8, 2017|website=HD Report|access-date=August 6, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/cinemanow-suddenly-shuts-leaving-users-unable-access-movies/|title=CinemaNow Suddenly Shuts Down Leaving Users Unable to Access Their Movies|last=Bouma|first=Luke|date=September 7, 2017|website=Cord Cutters News|access-date=August 6, 2018}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20170603005650/https://us.cinemanow.com/ CinemaNow.com] (archived on June 3, 2017)
- {{cite news| url=http://www.digitaltvnews.net/?p=3694 |work=DigitalTVnews |author=Market Wire|location=Seattle, Washington| title='CinemaNow Selects Widevine to Enable Multiplatform Content Distribution to Consumer Electronics Devices and PCs', and 'Widevine's Open DRM and Digital Copy Protection Solution Enables CinemaNow Users to Download Digital Content Regardless of Computing Platform or Browser'| date=August 18, 2008}}
- {{cite news| url=http://www.bby.com/2010/05/18/best-buy-provides-customers-same-day-instant-access-to-new-release-movies-and-tv-shows-with-launch-of-cinemanow/ |work=BBY.com| title=Best Buy press release announcing the re-launch of CinemaNow (Best Buy is now the owner of Cinema Now)| date=May 18, 2010| access-date=2010-08-15| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205231730/http://www.bby.com/2010/05/18/best-buy-provides-customers-same-day-instant-access-to-new-release-movies-and-tv-shows-with-launch-of-cinemanow/| archive-date=2010-12-05| url-status=dead}}
{{Video digital distribution platforms}}
{{Video rental shops}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cinemanow}}