YouTube may become distribution platform for movies

Sept. 6, 2009 | By Patt Morrison | KPCC

Could be that the next time you want to unwind with a new-ish movie on a long holiday weekend, you might skip the video store and Netflix. Studios are negotiating with YouTube to release some films on that site the same time they’re available on DVD.

KPCC’s Queena Kim, host of Cyberfrequencies, said pirating and free downloads have reduced DVD sales – so after steering clear of online releases, the studios consider YouTube as a way to fight back.

Queena Kim: “In some sense, it seems like a lot of their efforts so far has been like the music industry in terms of fighting this. And now in some ways they’re sort of embracing technology and trying to make it work for them.”

Kim told KPCC’s Patt Morrison that the studios are may charge $3.99 for new releases on YouTube. You can catch the Cyberfrequencies segment on Off-Ramp Sunday night at 7.

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