Curiouser and Curiouser...

So - in looking at the post below - we find that XBox is poised to become part of (as in 'major league player') the multi-billion dollar download to own business.

However this post from Chris Albrecht at New TeeVee says that we shouldn't "expect more web series" from XBox anytime soon. The assertion being they are having a tough time inserting ads into their video content and they need material that "moves the needle" for them in terms of viewership.

"Honey made it pretty clear that Xbox isn’t in the web video acquisition game, but didn’t rule it out entirely. Based on our talk, we can offer up this tip from him for those who absolutely gotta be on Xbox: “Gamers love watching things about gaming.” Honey says that the two most popular TV shows on Xbox are South Park’s Make Love Not Warcraft and Guitar Queero. Having a gamer bent is, in part, why Microsoft was so aggressive in obtaining The Guild on an exclusive basis. It also didn’t hurt that The Guild already had a sizeable audience and its star, Day, basically became a spokesperson for Xbox."

This is not a problem.

ITunes Xbox Dominate Downloads to Own

From Video Business:

DIGITAL: Market will grow to $2 billion in 2013, Screen Digest says

By Marcy Magiera -- Video Business, 9/15/2009

SEPT. 15 | DIGITAL: LOS ANGELES—Apple’s iTunes clearly dominates purchases of digital movies and TV shows in the U.S., but when it comes to Internet video-on-demand or digital rentals, Xbox Live is a strong challenger, said Screen Digest analyst Arash Amel, speaking today at the Entertainment Merchants Assn.’s Digital Media Pipeline conference.

Amel, Screen Digest’s research director for digital media, forecast that global revenue for digital formats will grow to $2 billion in 2013, from about $500 million this year. U.S. revenue in the first half of the year was about $140 million, he said, with “significant growth in electronic sell-through.”

In EST, or download-to-own, Apple dominates in the U.S. with 82% market share in the first half of 2009, down from 86% a year earlier. In VOD, or digital rentals, however, Apple claims only 52% market share, with Xbox Live at No. 2 with 31%. Amel predicted Xbox will gain more market share when it refreshes its service this fall. No other service has a significant share, though Amazon and Blockbuster are among those at the head of the trailing pack.

Both EST and digital VOD are overwhelmingly driven by new releases, Amel said.

Hmmmmm.....

Now This is an Interesting Convergence...

Courtesy of Content Agenda and The NY Times:

LOS ANGELES — Microsoft, seeking to expand offerings on its Xbox 360 console, has reached an agreement with a company headed by Peter Safran, the veteran Hollywood producer and talent manager, to produce original shows for distribution on the system.

Through his Safran Company, Mr. Safran represents clients like the actor and producer Sean Combs (“Monster’s Ball”), the actor and writer Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”) and the filmmakers Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer (“Epic Movie”). Mr. Safran founded the company in 2006 after leaving Brillstein-Grey Management.

Speaking by telephone last week, Scott Nocas, global marketing manager for programming of the Xbox Live entertainment service, said he expected similar deals to follow. “We definitely look at this as the first of many,” said Mr. Nocas.

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Making and distributing movies using technology derived from gaming... cool. Itunes had better watch out.