Starry future for broadband movies

Every home in the UK will download at least one movie using their broadband connection by 2010 giving filmmakers a potentially lucrative new source of revenue, according to research from Screen Digest.

Analysts predict that the market for the legitimate downloading of movies is set to be worth more than £60m in the UK over the next five years. Across Europe, downloading movies via a broadband connection is set to generate €250m.

"Although there are still issues in terms of bandwidth, download times and general consumer familiarity with the Internet as a means of consuming movies, these issues are becoming less significant," said analyst Arash Amel.

"The market will be driven by the emergence of competing service providers, whether telcos, ISPs or DVD rentailers and retailers, as well as the eventual appearance of download-to-own and download-to-burn strategies from content owners."

This latest research suports similar claims that TV is to become more "web-like" with viewers downloading programmes they want to watch from the net.

Indeed, ITV has become the latest broadcaster to try out broadband TV by testing a service in Brighton and Hastings. ITN is already flogging its news bulletins via an independent broadband TV portal, while the BBC has already shown programmes online. ®