Starz On-Demand

RealNetworks and Starz Encore Group think the time is right for a new service that will let consumers pay a simple flat monthly fee to download and watch an unlimited amount of movies from a library of recent films. The new service, dubbed Starz! Ticket, was supposed to debut in 2002, but the companies delayed the launch due to technology concerns and perceived lack of consumer demand. Fast forward to this week—the companies announced the launch of the $12.95 a month service that will give subscribers access to Starz's library of movies. Starz will leverage the movies it shows on its cable networks to offer over 100 movies a month, including blockbusters such as Finding Nemo and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Starz! Ticket is the first service that lets users have broadband all-you-can-eat access to recent movies rather than let users individually rent movies, as with rival services such as Movielink and CinemaNow. The new service will be a useful test to see if consumers are willing to pay a subscription fee to get access to a library of movies to watch on their PC