UK online music service readies for launch of 99p movie downloads

by Jennifer Whitehead, Brand Republic 21-Apr-05

LONDON - Wippit, the cut-price music downloads service, is to add downloadable movies from just 99p a film, starting this summer.

The company is in talks with three unnamed movie distribution firms about providing content, which it says will range from blockbusters and classics, to independent films and hard-to-find rarities.

News of the service comes as other download services, including Napster, look at entering the film market, and film studios look at a way of combating piracy. A recent report said that Britain is the biggest market for illegal downloads of television programmes.

A member of staff at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, a production partner of the BBC, was recently sacked after they leaked the first episode of the new 'Doctor Who' series before it was broadcast. The BBC said that it would take legal action against individuals downloading its shows illegally.

Wippit already offers music downloads from 29p a track from a selection of 60,000 tracks, and unlimited downloads for the subscription price of £4.99 a month. It said it plans to add a movie download channel to its monthly subscription offer.

Paul Myers, founder and chief executive of Wippit, said that research had identified consumer desire for movie downloads and that the service would not compete with premium DVD for home cinema.

"We're in talks and are slating a late summer release for Wippit Movies with a great selection of films from the suppliers we are currently in discussion with," Myers said.

He added that the catalogue that being made available to Wippit Movies was a starting point and that Wippit hoped to to enter into discussions with other studios, distributors or production companies.

Wippit has been running for five years, launching it legal peer-to-peer file sharing service in 2001, and introducing legal music downloads in 2004.

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