The movie studios have traditionally spread out the release dates for PPV, cable, DVDs and download in an effort to maximize the dollars they are able to extract from customers. Apple have announced that they have agreements in place to allow them to offer movie downloads via iTunes coincident with the DVD release.

I believe that this is the first step towards the compression of this timeline. The endgame being only one or two release dates for movies; theatrical and all others. As the entire movie industry moves to digital techniques from camera to screen there is little impediment to a ‘big bang’ release methodology. Mark Cuban has been advocating this for some time.

http://gizmodo.com/386026/apple-to-sell-movies-on-dvd-release-day-confirmed

UPDATE: Here is a piece from Variety with a bit more background.  I especially like the quote at the end from a Fox exec.; ‘What we do want is pay-per-view to replace rental.’…  Interesting…

The ‘Protect America Act’ (clearly a use of the term ‘protect’ with which I was unfamiliar) is due to expire soon.  The Senate is considering it’s replacement and today the Senate failed to pass an amendment that would have removed the immunity granted to the telcos for all manner of illegal activities under the guise of ‘protecting our freedoms’.

Just be sure I have this right…  the Government asks the telcos to perform illegal wiretaps while waving the ‘it’s your patriotic duty to comply’ flag.  The telcos succumb to the ‘pressure’, roll over and illegally dump the contents of the ‘tubes in the Government’s lap.

The public (the folks they’re trying to ‘protect’, right) get wind of it and start raising a stink.  The Government responds by retroactively granting immunity to the telcos so the ‘public’ can’t sue them and get the details of just what was going on.

Do you feel protected?  Well, do you punk?  I feel hoodwinked!

Senate caves, votes to give telecoms retroactive immunity