Andre Yoskowitz
8 Oct 2010 0:14
NCR, which rents DVDs via 7000 Blockbuster Express kiosks, has reached a deal with Universal that will block the kiosks from offering new Universal releases for the first 28 days after release.
The company is looking into similar deals with the other major studios, Sony, Fox and Warner.
Part of the deal, however, is the new addition of "premium rentals," through the NCR kiosks, where users can pay more than the standard $1-a-night to rent a new Universal film right from launch. "Premium rentals" are an experiment and will continue only if user feedback is positive.
"Our agreement to test premium day-and-date offers and new DVD sales will help us identify new outlets for our movies while giving our customers the flexibility and choice they want in their entertainment purchases," added Craig Kornblau, president, Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
The NCR kiosk deal is Blockbuster's best chance at staging any type of comeback. The company filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this month after facing $900 million in debt.