Radium Ventures’ Interactive Television Networks, formerly known as XTV, is no longer adult-centric with the announced launch of the Silver Screen Network (SSN)—a classic movie network that will be delivered over ITVN’s computer-to-television box starting in September.
SSN will feature 1,400 classic cinema titles licensed from Academy Entertainment and featuring stars such as John Wayne, Buster Keaton, and Charlie Chaplin.
“This is definitely the direction we’re moving, and clearly adult entertainment is great and almost all our box owners subscribe to it, but clearly people are looking for the ability to view other content as well,” ITVN CEO Charles Prast says. “What we’ve managed to do is offer content that is not readily available over cable or satellite television.”
SSN will be available to subscribers for $4.95 a month in programmed channels such as westerns or horror and on demand by genre, actor, and title. The ITVN box will have an opening menu that allows users to choose which network they’d like to view.
Deals for additional networks are also in development. Prast says ITVN is currently in negotiations with content providers and plans to add sports, fitness, and music networks in the future.
In addition, Prast says ITVN will also be looking to add content to SSN.
“We are delighted with this license arrangement with ITVN. ITVN's technology allows for unlimited viewing of content on a real time on-demand basis,” says Alan Miller, president of Academy Entertainment. “We believe that Internet-delivered television service providers, among which ITVN is a leader, are of benefit to both consumers seeking a broader range of on-demand entertainment and content owners looking to meet that demand.”
