Where movies go after iTunes

Last week, there were reports that several movies have disappeared from the iTunes Movie catalog. Well according to CNET, each movie goes through a distribution process. The distribution process consist of the following stages: theaters, DVDs, pay-per-view (and iTunes) and finally, broadcast TV. When a movie goes transfers from the pay-per-view and iTunes stage into the broadcast TV stage, iTunes has to remove the movie from its catalog (the same is done with pay-per-view). CNET explained by saying:

Normally, release windows don’t affect retailers or video-rental services after they’ve begun selling or renting films. Warner Bros. doesn’t go into Best Buy and pull DVDs off the shelf when Comcast airs Casablanca. The corner Mom and Pop video store doesn’t surrender copies of Gladiator to Universal Studios when the film appears on ABC. But Internet stores are being treated differently. What this means for iTunes and Netflix customers is that movies will pop in and out of the services.

So basically, if you bookmarked a movie over a year ago, chances are you will not find it any more. But if you already purchased the film, you are in safe hands as you can still watch those films.

- Geoff

[Source: CNET]