BitTorrent Signs Deals With Movie Studios, Cable Networks

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 29, 2006 - 2:47pm.

San Francisco - BitTorrent, a peer-to-peer file-sharing service that has been targeted with copyright infringement actions across the globe, announced on Wednesday a slate of partnerships with Hollywood studios including Fox, Paramount, Lionsgate, Palm Pictures and MTV Networks to distribute movies and TV shows on its network.

Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed. Palm Pictures will break new ground by becoming the first studio that will distribute full-length movies on BitTorrent before both their theatrical and DVD release dates. BitTorrent said it will provide pricing details closer to the retail marketplace launch, scheduled for February 2007.

The company already has similar deals with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Egami Media, Hart Sharp, Koch Entertainment and The Orchard. Launched in 2001, BitTorrent's millions of current users account for an estimated as much as 40% of all worldwide Internet traffic. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and other copyright holders have aggressively targeted operators of BitTorrent servers in Scandinavia and other regions.

Meanwhile, TechCrunch.com is reporting that BitTorrent has raised $25 million in its second round of financing from Accel Partners and Doll Capital Management, and that CEO and BitTorrent creator Bram Cohen is stepping down. The report adds that the company has hired the headhunting firm of Heidrick & Struggles to find a replacement.

Related Links:
http://www.bittorrent.com/2006-11-29-Digital-Download-Deals.html
http://tinyurl.com/ymn6mu (TechCrunch)
http://www.bittorrent.com