Virgin Media and Universal Pictures sign deal
Virgin Media has partnered with Universal Pictures to launch the Picturebox movies-on-demand TV subscription service on its TV platform.
The deal will give Virgin Media’s 3.6 million TV subscribers access to PictureBox for £5 per month, providing a broad selection of recent and library feature films.
Upcoming films available on the service include popular hits such as Hot Fuzz, The Bourne Ultimatum, Children of Men and The Holiday as well and classic blockbusters such as Scarface, Total Recall and E.T.
PictureBox, wholly owned by Universal Pictures, launched in the UK three years ago and is already available through BT Vision, Top Up TV and Tiscali. The Virgin Media deal marks the PictureBox service’s first UK platform to present films in HD.
“This agreement is a significant step in the growth of the PictureBox brand,” says Belinda Menendez, president NBC Universal’s International TV Distribution. “Our reach in the UK has now increased more than fivefold.”
“Our customers love movies on demand and they’re watching millions of films every year,’ says Katharine Burns, executive director of content acquisition at Virgin Media.
More than half of Virgin Media’s TV customers in the UK regularly watch on-demand content. The platform’s library of content includes TV shows, films, music and children’s programming.
Earlier this month, Virgin Media and Universal linked up to provide Virgin Media’s broadband subscribers access to an unlimited download service from Universal Music.
