Pay television , also known as subscription television , premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel , refers to subscription -based television services, usually provided by multichannel television providers, but also increasingly via digital terrestrial and streaming television . In the United States, subscription television began in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the form of encrypted analog over-the-air broadcast television which could be decrypted with special equipment. The concept rapidly expanded through the multi-channel transition and into the post-network era . Other parts of the world beyond the United States, such as France and Latin America have also offered encrypted analog terrestrial signals available for subscription.
89-588: Starz Encore is an American premium television channel owned by Starz Inc. a subsidiary of Lionsgate and headquartered at the Meridian International Business Center complex in Meridian , Colorado , United States. Launched as Encore on 1 April 1991, its programming features mainly older and recent theatrically released feature films , although some of its multiplex channels also carry acquired television series . It
178-469: A trial period , often one to three months, though there have been rare instances of free trials for pay services that last up to one year for newer subscribers to that provider's television service. Pay television has become popular with cable and satellite television . Pay television services often, at least two to three times per year, provide free previews of their services, in order to court potential subscribers by allowing this wider audience to sample
267-428: A $ 1 monthly fee. TCI initially offered Encore as a negative option , in which customers were required to notify TCI if they declined to subscribe to the channel full-time after an introductory offer, or TCI would automatically add on a $ 1 charge to their monthly bill, which would have then increased to $ 4.95 per month by May 1992. The negative option fee led to lawsuits filed against TCI by ten states, eventually causing
356-406: A crude decrypting of the over-the-air television signal and a decoding box, but never caught on for use at that time. It took another four decades when cable broadcasters started using pay-per-view on a widespread basis. "Free" variants are free-to-air (FTA) and free-to-view (FTV); however, FTV services are normally encrypted and decryption cards either come as part of an initial subscription to
445-632: A focus on their parent companies' libraries, with HBO Now replaced by HBO Max (now Max) in 2020 (which adds content from other Warner Bros. properties and third-parties, and would also be included with existing HBO subscriptions via television providers), and Showtime formally merging with Paramount+ in 2023. Canadian premium service The Movie Network similarly merged with the CraveTV service owned by parent company Bell Media in 2018. Pay-per-view (PPV) services are similar to subscription-based pay television services in that customers must pay to have
534-572: A four-year extension of its existing deal with Miramax and the rest of the Disney family. In 2002, Encore picked up the pay TV rights to Disney's animated films, which previously bypassed a pay TV window. The first-run film output agreement with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures expired after December 2015, with Netflix assuming pay television rights in January 2016 (excluding films released by Touchstone Pictures, which were retained by Starz through
623-586: A graphic informing viewers of the program airing next. Pay television The term is most synonymous with premium entertainment services focused on films or general entertainment programming such as, in the United States, Cinemax , HBO , MGM+ , Showtime , and Starz , but such services can also include those devoted to sports , as well as adult entertainment . In contrast to most other multichannel television broadcasters, which depend on advertising and carriage fees as their sources of revenue,
712-600: A higher subscriber base than its competitors and sister channels because, although Starz and Starz Encore are often sold together in a singular package, some digital cable, telco and satellite providers offer the Starz Encore multiplex separately from Starz as part of an a la carte tier in which it is packaged with other commercial-free and advertiser-supported film-oriented channels (such as MGM+ , FX Movie Channel and LMN ). Therefore, Starz Encore subscribers do not necessarily have to subscribe to Starz in order to receive
801-513: A lower subscription fee. These are called "mini-pay" channels (a term also used for smaller scale commercial-free pay television services) and are often sold as a part of a package with numerous similarly priced channels. Usually, however, the regular pricing for premium channels ranges from just under $ 10 to near $ 25 per month per suite, with lower prices available via bundling options with cable or satellite providers, or special limited offers which are available during free preview periods or before
890-417: A main flagship channel is accompanied by secondary services with distinct schedules focusing on specific genres and audiences (such as multiplexes focusing more on "classic" films, or family-oriented programming), time shifting , or brand licensing deals (such as channels focusing specifically on Disney films , or content from U.S. pay television brands if they do not specifically run their own network in
979-535: A mix of original series, films, and specials. The shift towards SVOD has resulted in increasing competition within the sector, with media conglomerates having launched their own services (such as Disney+ , Paramount+ , Peacock , and Disney's acquisition of the majority of Hulu ) to compete, and existing premium networks such as HBO ( HBO Now ) and Showtime launching direct-to-consumer versions of their existing services to appeal to cord cutters . HBO and Showtime later absorbed their DTC offerings into wider services with
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#17328019391751068-475: A new pay service called MoviePlex (originally named "Encore Plex" for its first few months on the air) which replaced a Liberty Media-owned network called INTRO Television , that ran blocks of programming from other cable channels . Until it adopted a separate film schedule on August 1, 2011, MoviePlex originally carried programming blocks from Encore's multiplex channels (which differed from that day's actual schedules for each channel to exclude R-rated movies) on
1157-460: A pay television bouquet – in other words, an offer of pay-TV channels – or can be purchased for a one-time cost. FTA and FTV systems may still have selective access. ABC Australia is one example, as much of its programming content is free-to-air except for National Rugby League (NRL) games, which are encrypted. The Samuel Goldwyn Company The Samuel Goldwyn Company was an American independent film company founded by Samuel Goldwyn Jr. ,
1246-693: A restriction as a few providers optionally sell that service without requiring a Showtime subscription. Unlike other cable networks, premium services are almost always subscribed to a la carte , meaning that one can, for example, subscribe to HBO without subscribing to Showtime (in Canada, there are slight modifications, as most providers include U.S. superstations – such as WAPA-TV – with their main premium package by default). However, subscribing to an "individual" service automatically includes access to all of that service's available multiplex channels and, in some cases, access to content via video-on-demand (in
1335-425: A rotating day-to-day schedule. On June 2, 1997, TCI announced a deal in which it would transfer majority ownership of its Encore Media Group subsidiary to sister company Liberty Media, due in part to the significant profit losses incurred by Starz following that channel's launch – TCI retained a minority 20% ownership interest until its 1999 merger with AT&T Corporation , when Liberty Media assumed full ownership of
1424-425: A seasonal package. They are typically the most expensive type of pay services, generally running in the range of $ 35 to $ 50 per month. Some pay services also offer pornographic films ; Cinemax was well known for carrying a late-night block of softcore films and series known as "Max After Dark"—a reputation that led to the network often being nicknamed "Skinemax" by viewers. Cinemax phased out this programming in
1513-423: A separate contract). Through at least the first half of 2016, Starz provided Disney films that were released before the expiration, such as Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur , but none released after, such as Zootopia . The first-run film output agreement with Sony was renewed for nine years on February 11, 2013, and expired at the end of 2021. On April 8, 2021, Sony announced that they would not be renewing
1602-417: A separate public tracking stock called Liberty Starz. On August 8, 2012, Liberty Media announced that it would spin off Liberty Starz into its own separate, publicly traded company. The spin-off of the subsidiary was completed on January 11, 2013, with Liberty Starz changing its name to Starz Inc. as a result. On April 5, 2016, Encore and its seven multiplex channels were rebranded as Starz Encore, unifying
1691-540: A short time during the 1980s, and unlike other general-interest pay services accepted outside advertising for broadcast during its sports telecasts), Preview , SelecTV and ON TV in the late 1970s, but those services disappeared as competition from cable television expanded during the 1980s. In Australia , Foxtel , Optus Television and TransACT are the major pay television distributors, all of which provide cable services in some metropolitan areas , with Foxtel providing satellite service for all other areas where cable
1780-501: A special 1-800 number in which a $ 2.50 refund would be given to unsatisfied subscribers. Encore eventually began to be sold as a hybrid service, offered as either a premium channel or a digital basic network depending on the provider, retaining the uncut and commercial-free nature of its programming. Through this change in distribution, the channel was eventually available in 25 million homes nationwide by September 2005. On November 19, 2009, Liberty Media spun off Starz and Encore into
1869-401: A specific market). Typically, these services are bundled together with the main channel at no additional charge, and cannot be purchased separately. Depending on local regulations, pay television services generally have more lenient content standards because of their relatively narrower distribution, and not being subject to pressure from sponsors to tone down content. As a result, programming
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#17328019391751958-520: A subscription video-on-demand television service called Starz Encore On Demand , which is available at no additional charge to new and existing Starz Encore subscribers. Starz Encore On Demand offers program content available in standard or high definition, consisting of theatrically released feature films and original programs, to most cable and satellite providers. The service's rotating program selection incorporates select new titles that are added each Friday, alongside existing program titles held over from
2047-601: A subsidiary of Metromedia's Orion Pictures unit. That year, Orion and Goldwyn became part of the Metromedia Entertainment Group (MEG). Goldwyn became the specialty films unit of MEG, though they would seek out films with crossover appeal. While Orion and Goldwyn would share the overhead costs, the production/acquisition operations would operate independently from each other. In 1997, Metromedia sold its entertainment group to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) for $ 573 million, making that company's film library
2136-485: Is Canal+ and its scrambled services, which operated in France from 1984 to the 2011 closedown of analogue television, Spain from 1990 to 2005 and Poland from 1995 to 2001. Some U.S. television stations launched pay services (known simply as "subscription television" services) such as SuperTV , Wometco Home Theater , PRISM (which principally operated as a cable service, only being simultaneously carried over-the-air for
2225-608: Is a former weekly programming block that showcased a mix of classic and recent critically acclaimed miniseries . As part of this block, Encore broadcast original miniseries such as The Crimson Petal and the White , Titanic: Blood and Steel , Moby Dick , Thorne (both of which were already broadcast previously) and Hindenburg: The Last Flight . In addition to showcasing original miniseries, Encore has also aired older miniseries previously seen on network television such as The Thorn Birds , North and South , Shōgun , Jason and
2314-432: Is currently carried nationally by all major cable and satellite providers. Encore Action and Encore Drama (now Starz Encore Black) began broadcasting in high definition on August 1, 2011, while Encore Classic and Encore Suspense began their own HD simulcasts on December 2, 2013. It is currently unknown if or when Encore Westerns, Encore Family, and Encore Español will become available in high definition. Starz Encore operates
2403-707: Is not available. Austar formerly operated as a satellite pay service, until it merged with Foxtel and SelecTV . The major distributors of pay television in New Zealand are Sky Network Television on satellite and Vodafone on cable. In the 2010s, over-the-top subscription video on demand (SVOD) services distributed via internet video emerged as a major competitor to traditional pay television, with services such as Amazon Video , Hulu , and Netflix gaining prominence. Similarly to pay television services, their libraries include acquired content (which can not only include films, but acquired television series as well), and
2492-441: Is the parent company of rival pay services HBO and Cinemax), Columbia Pictures / TriStar Pictures , Orion Pictures , 20th Century Fox , The Samuel Goldwyn Company , Paramount Pictures (which also ironically came under ownership of Showtime and The Movie Channel's then-parent company Viacom in 1994), Turner Entertainment , and MGM / United Artists . The channel was formatted as a "mini-pay" service, available to subscribers for
2581-562: Is the sister channel of Starz and MoviePlex . As of September 2018, Starz Encore's programming was available to approximately 34.026 million U.S. households that had a subscription to a multichannel television provider (30.918 million of which receive Starz Encore's primary channel at minimum). Prior to 2018, Starz Encore outpaced HBO for the largest subscriber reach of any American premium channel. (According to February 2015 Nielsen estimates, Starz Encore had 40.54 million pay subscribers vs. HBO's 35.8 million subscribers.) Starz Encore has
2670-717: Is typically aired with limited to no edits for time or, where applicable, mature content such as graphic violence , profanity , nudity , and sexual activity . As premium television services are commonly devoid of traditional commercial advertising, breaks between programming typically include promotions for upcoming programs , and interstitial segments (such as behind-the-scenes content, interviews, and other feature segments). Some sports-based pay services, however, may feature some commercial advertising, particularly if they simulcast sporting events that are broadcast by advertiser-supported television networks. In addition, most general interest or movie-based pay services do not adhere to
2759-728: The Flipper TV series produced by MGM Television , the Academy Award –winning Tom Jones (1963), and the Rodgers and Hammerstein film productions of South Pacific (1958) and Oklahoma! (1955), as well as the CBS Television adaptation of Cinderella (1965). Animated films include Swan Lake , Aladdin and the Magic Lamp , The Care Bears Movie , The Chipmunk Adventure and Rock-a-Doodle . Among
Starz Encore - Misplaced Pages Continue
2848-616: The Cannon Films and Carolco Pictures libraries), Revolution Studios , Overture Films , Yari Film Group , and the network's sister company Lions Gate Entertainment (since 2012). In January 1997, Encore secured a licensing agreement with Paramount Pictures , broadcasting over 300 titles; Paramount's first contract with Encore expired in December 2005. In March 2013, Encore reassumed sub-run rights to Paramount Pictures' feature film releases. The first film broadcast through this deal
2937-547: The Wimbledon tennis tournament. Specialty pay sports channels also exist—often focusing on international sports considered niche to domestic audiences (such as, in the United States, cricket ), and are typically sold at a higher expense than traditional premium services. Out-of-market sports packages in North America are multi-channel pay services carrying professional or collegiate sporting events which are sold in
3026-563: The business cycle , some broadcasters try to balance them with more stable income from subscriptions. Some providers offer services owned by the same company in a single package. For example, American satellite provider DirecTV offers the Encore channels along with the Starz multiplex (both owned by Lionsgate 's Starz Inc. ) in its "Starz Super Pack"; and The Movie Channel , Flix and SundanceTV (the latter of which continues to be sold in
3115-402: The pay television industry's first "themed" multiplex – seven additional channels that each focused on a specific genre. This was initially going to be composed of six channels, but Encore decided to launch its own competitor to HBO and Showtime, called Starz!, after a May 1993 deal in which it acquired the pay television rights to run Universal Studios films released after that year. Starz was
3204-692: The 1990s, with some newer movie titles (usually broadcast between six and nine months after their premiere on Starz) interspersed throughout the day (mostly on Sunday nights, as of the summer of 2014). The newly released films (previous aired on Starz) premiered on Sunday nights. During the 1990s, Encore (through Starz) had exclusive first-run movie rights with Universal Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax, New Line Cinema and Carolco Pictures . Between 1995 and 2005, Encore broadcast films from Turner Pictures and New Line Cinema. Encore's contract with Universal Pictures expired in late 2002; HBO and Starz shared half of Universal's films in 2003 before
3293-488: The 1999 rebrand, removing the box design and turning the starburst into a line artwork above the "encore" logotype; the basic design was carried over in the 2005 revamp. On December 1, 2013, Encore introduced a new text-only logo, dropping the starburst mark included in its branding since its launch. In accordance with the rebrand, feature presentation bumpers were dropped across the Encore channels, with programs prefaced only by
3382-586: The 2010s, citing that it did not align with its current focus on action programming, and that internet porn and the amount of sexual content in other mainstream premium series (such as Game of Thrones ) made a specific block for such content redundant. Specialized channels dedicated to pornographic films also exist, that carry either softcore adult programs (such as Playboy TV ), or more hardcore content (such as The Erotic Network and Hustler TV ). Pay television channels come in different price ranges. Many channels carrying advertising combine this income with
3471-802: The 2013 rebranding and refocusing of what had been Encore Drama and Encore Love as Encore Black and Encore Classic, both channels added series fitting their respective formats in weekdaily blocks. Encore Black currently carries the classic African American sitcoms What's Happening!! , Amen , Diff'rent Strokes and 227 ; while Encore Classic airs the classic sitcoms Murphy Brown and Night Court ; and crime dramas Magnum, P.I. and The A-Team . Encore Black began airing The Jeffersons , Sanford and Son , and Good Times on December 1, 2015. Starz Encore Family airs classic animated children's shows such as Garfield and Friends and various ex- DIC Entertainment shows like Heathcliff , Inspector Gadget , Liberty's Kids , and Adventures of Sonic
3560-492: The Argonauts and Gulliver's Travels . The block was discontinued on December 29, 2013. Despite being a premium service, Encore has incorporated acquired programming on several of its multiplex channels. Originally, these were limited to Encore Westerns and Encore Family (as WAM!/Encore Wam), consisting of classic western series from the 1950s to the 1970s on the former, and imported series aimed at children and teenagers on
3649-596: The Bleep Do We Know!? and the Academy Award–nominated The Squid and the Whale . Since the new Goldwyn company was formed, MGM currently holds much of the original Goldwyn Company's holdings (including, with few exceptions, the non-Goldwyn-produced properties) that would end up with the library of Orion Pictures , now an MGM division. One Goldwyn-produced film, The Hurricane , which was
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3738-472: The DirecTV package despite Showtime Networks no longer owning Sundance, that channel is now owned by AMC Networks ) along with Showtime in its "Showtime Unlimited" package; Cinemax and its multiplex networks, in turn, are almost always packaged with HBO (both owned by Warner Bros. Discovery ). Though selling premium services that are related by ownership as a package is common, that may not always be
3827-656: The Encore Media Group. By May 1998, Encore had a subscriber base of 11.4 million homes with cable or satellite television. As the channel aged, it adopted a more conventional presentation style: first in 1998, Encore began to carry two exclusive first-run feature film broadcasts each month, then Encore shifted its focus to hit movies as part of a major rebrand of the channel on May 24, 1999, primarily incorporating recent films, but with notable classics mixed in as well. By this point, Encore advertised itself as guaranteeing to air "a great movie every night", even setting up
3916-416: The Encore multiplex came on August 1, 2011, with the launch of a Spanish-language simulcast of Encore's primary channel called Encore Español, and the respective rebrands and refocusings of Encore Mystery and the teen-targeted Encore Wam into Encore Suspense and Encore Family (the latter channel adopting a format similar to that of sister service Starz Kids & Family), Encore Westerns and Encore Action became
4005-537: The Encore multiplex. Encore Drama relaunched as Encore Black (adopting the same target audience demographic – African Americans – as sister channel Starz's multiplex service Starz In Black) and Encore Love was reformatted as Encore Classic (focusing primarily on classic feature films), both channels began incorporating reruns of network television series from the 1970s to the 1990s as part of specialized program blocks alongside feature films from that period. In addition, Encore Español, which originally sought carriage alongside
4094-477: The Encore network concept as a way to revitalize Showtime, either by launching a new tertiary pay service from scratch, or overhauling the format of Showtime sister network The Movie Channel . Incidentally, TCI made a failed bid to acquire a 50% ownership stake in Showtime in 1989. Encore had increased its subscriber base to an estimated 7 million subscribers nationwide by 1996. On January 1, 1997, Encore launched
4183-465: The Hedgehog until November 30, 2020. Throughout the network's history, Encore's logo has included a starburst mark. In the original logo used from 1991 to 1994, the starburst appeared within the "O" in the channel's name, which was rendered in uppercase and similar in design to sister network Starz's 2008 logo design – the mark was then revamped into a box design in 1994. The logo was simplified for
4272-737: The aforementioned leniency in content standards, they too can contain content that is more mature than those of other cable channels or television networks . These series also tend to be high-budget and aim for critical success in order to attract subscribers: notable premium series, such as HBO 's Curb Your Enthusiasm , Game of Thrones , Sex and the City , and The Sopranos , and Showtime 's Dexter , Homeland , and Weeds , have achieved critical acclaim and have won various television awards. Some premium channels also broadcast television specials , which most commonly consist of concerts and concert films , documentaries , stand-up comedy , and in
4361-619: The agreement with Starz in favor of a new first-run agreement with Netflix. The Warren Miller output deal was renewed for 10 years on October 19, 2009. Encore aired its first ever slate of original programming in 2011: the miniseries Moby Dick and The Take , and the biographical documentary Method to the Madness of Jerry Lewis . The following year, Encore broadcast Thorne in June 2012. The Big Miniseries Showcase (originally airing on weeknights, and later seen only on Sunday mornings)
4450-419: The broadcast decrypted for viewing, but usually only entail a one-time payment for a single or time-limited viewing. Programs offered via pay-per-view are most often movies or sporting events, but may also include other events, such as concerts and even softcore adult programs. In the U.S., the initial concept and technology for pay-per-view for broadcast television was first developed in the early 1950s, including
4539-446: The channel. Encore launched at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 1, 1991, on four cable systems that were operated by Tele-Communications Inc. (both TCI and Liberty Media , both of which jointly owned Encore initially, were controlled by John Malone ). The channel debuted with an introduction by founder John Sie , who served as the president of the network from its launch until 1999 and CEO until his retirement in 2004, which
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#17328019391754628-563: The channels as the "Starz Super Pak". Starz Encore HD is a high definition simulcast feed of Starz Encore that broadcasts in the 1080i resolution format. The main Encore channel originally launched its HD simulcast feed on March 22, 2004; it was shut down after the channel's March 2005 rebrand. The current incarnation of the HD simulcast feed was launched in July 2008. The main Encore HD simulcast
4717-428: The common top and bottom of the hour scheduling of other cable channels and terrestrial broadcasters. As such, programs often air using either conventional scheduling or have airtimes in five-minute increments (for example, 7:05 a.m. or 4:40 p.m.); since such channels broadcast content without in-program break interruptions, this sometimes leads to extended or abbreviated breaks between programs, depending on when
4806-443: The company to back away from utilizing the billing method for the channel. Many other cable providers were reluctant to offer Encore in its early years due to concerns that it would cannibalize subscriptions of other premium services. However, Sie positioned the channel as such that would bolster the growth of what had been a lagging pay television industry, as premium channels had been seeing a steady decline in subscribers overall since
4895-437: The east and west coast feeds of the main Starz Encore channel), resulting in the difference in local airtimes for a particular movie or program between two geographic locations being three hours at most. Starz Encore Starz Encore Action Starz Encore Black Starz Encore Classic Starz Encore Español Starz Encore Family Starz Encore Suspense Starz Encore Westerns On February 1, 1994, Encore launched
4984-523: The elder Goldwyn's supervision, including the original Bulldog Drummond (1929), Arrowsmith (1931), and Guys and Dolls (1955). The company also acquired some distribution rights to several films and television programs that were independently produced but released by other companies, including Sayonara , the Hal Roach –produced Laurel & Hardy –starring vehicle Babes in Toyland (1934),
5073-474: The end of 2021 and 2022 respectively. On July 15, 2021, Starz reached a licensing deal with Universal Pictures for first-run movies 18 months after they stream on Peacock and Prime Video respectively. Despite being acquired by Lions Gate Entertainment in 2016, films released under the Lionsgate label did not air on Starz until 2022 due to an output deal with Epix until the end of 2019, then Hulu until
5162-1332: The end of 2021. Summit Entertainment films did not air on Starz until 2023 due to an output deal with HBO until the end of 2022. Encore also shows sub-runs (runs of films that have recently received broadcast or syndicated television airings) of theatrical films from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (including subsidiaries Walt Disney Pictures , Touchstone Pictures , Marvel Studios , Lucasfilm , 20th Century Studios , and Hollywood Pictures - all for films released before 2016), Warren Miller Films (for films released before 2020), Sony Pictures Entertainment (including subsidiaries Columbia Pictures , Sony Pictures Classics , Screen Gems , Destination Films , Triumph Films , and TriStar Pictures - all for films released before 2022), Warner Bros. Discovery (including content from subsidiaries Warner Bros. Pictures , New Line Cinema , Turner Entertainment – both for films released prior to 2005 – and Castle Rock Entertainment ), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (including content from subsidiaries United Artists , Orion Pictures , and The Samuel Goldwyn Company ), Europa Corp , Paramount Pictures (including content from DreamWorks Pictures (pre-2011), Republic Pictures , Nickelodeon Movies , Dimension Films (pre-2005), Miramax , Paramount Vantage and television rights to
5251-445: The first of the multiplex channels to launch, debuting on February 1, 1994. Three additional multiplex channels launched five months later on July 1, 1994: Love Stories, Mystery, and Westerns; these were followed on September 12, 1994, by the launch of the final three channels: True Stories & Drama (later shortened to True Stories), Action and WAM!: America's Youth Network (later known as WAM!: America's Kidz Network; it also went under
5340-647: The form of a conventional VOD television service, and in some cases, a companion on-demand streaming service as well). Most pay television providers also offer a selection of premium services (for example, the HBO, Showtime and Starz packages) in one bundle at a greatly reduced price than it would cost to purchase each service separately, as an inducement for subscribers to remain with their service provider or for others to induce subscribers into using their service. Similarly, many television providers offer general interest or movie-based premium channels at no additional charge for
5429-558: The former assumed pay television rights the following year. In 1997, Encore lost its rights to many of the Dimension Films to Showtime, due to its violent content surrounding the films, except for several future Jackie Chan films Dimension released, which Encore kept the rights. After the Showtime deal, in August 1999, Encore preemptively signed a four-year deal with the studio that took effect in January 2003, in conjunction with
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#17328019391755518-463: The largest at the time. The Landmark Theatres group, which Metromedia did not sell to MGM, was taken over by Silver Cinemas, Inc. on April 27, 1998. In September 1997, the company was renamed Goldwyn Films and operated as MGM's specialty films unit. A month later, Samuel Goldwyn Jr. sued MGM and Metromedia, claiming that he was abruptly let go of the company despite promises that he would continue to run it under different ownership. Another concern in
5607-405: The late 1980s. Around the time of its launch, there was some debate as to whether Viacom or TCI originally conceived the idea for Encore; Viacom executives insisted that TCI lifted part of the idea from Viacom-owned Showtime Networks (which would launch a similarly formatted mini-pay service, Flix , in August 1992). In a 1991 interview with Multichannel News , John Sie said that TCI brought up
5696-557: The latter channel (after Encore Wam stopped carrying acquired programming in 2009, sister channel Starz Kids & Family later incorporated some series programming onto its schedule that are aimed at the same target audience as those that were carried by Wam). Currently, Starz Encore Westerns carries the classic western series Bonanza , Gunsmoke and Have Gun – Will Travel . Just prior to its rebranding as Encore Suspense, Encore Mystery eventually added acquired mystery series to its schedule (such as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ). With
5785-454: The launch of a network's prestige series. However, some other channels, such as sports and adult networks may ask for monthly pricing that may go as high as near $ 50 a month. There are also premium television services which are priced significantly higher than the mini-pay channels, but they compensate for their higher price by carrying little or no advertising and also providing a higher quality program output. As advertising sales are sensitive to
5874-645: The lawsuit was the use of the Goldwyn name, with the defendants being accused of "palming off specialized films produced or acquired by" the unit as though the plaintiff was still involved in its management. Goldwyn Films changed its name to G2 Films in January 1999 as part of the settlement. In July 1999, G2 Films was renamed United Artists International . As well as all that, UA became an arthouse film producer/distributor. The younger Goldwyn has since gone on to found Samuel Goldwyn Films . This successor company has continued to release independent films such as What
5963-467: The majority of pay television services rely almost solely on monthly subscription fees paid by individual customers. As a result, pay television outlets are most concerned with offering content that can justify the cost of the service, which helps to attract new subscribers, and retain existing subscribers. Many pay television services consist of multiple individual channels, referred to as " multiplex " services (in reference to multiplex cinemas ), where
6052-409: The multiplex currently has no "official" marketed name, and viewers are simply told they are watching "one of the seven Encore channels", though some providers collectively brand the channels as the "Encore Movie Pak", while Dish Network uses the "Starz Moviepack" as an unofficial name for the entire collection of Starz and Encore channels and select other providers (such as DirecTV ) continue to brand
6141-458: The network under the brand umbrella of the channel that Encore ironically spun off in September 1994. With the rebranding, Starz Encore also began to carry reruns of Starz original comedy and drama series within its schedule. On June 30, 2016, Lionsgate agreed to acquire Starz Inc. for $ 4.4 billion in cash and stock; the acquisition was completed five months later on December 8. Depending on
6230-425: The only Encore multiplex channels to retain the naming schemes that were in use since the multiplex's original 1994 launch (prior to the incorporation of the "Encore" name in the branding of the multiplex channels). Three of the Encore channels (two of them being among the channel's six original multiplex services) underwent changes in their programming formats on December 2, 2013, as part of an extensive rebranding of
6319-494: The original term of license agreements with a distributor may also be broadcast as "sub-runs", in which a service holds rights to film long after the conclusion of a distribution agreement (under this arrangement, the pay service that originally licensed the rights to a particular film title, or one other than that which had held rights, may hold the broadcast rights through a library content deal). Many general interest premium channels also produce original television series . Due to
6408-484: The other multiplex channels, began to be made available as part of the Spanish-language channel tiers offered by most cable and satellite providers and adopted an independent schedule of Spanish-language feature films. The multiplex has been given several collective brand names over the years, including the "Encore Multiplex", "Encore Movie Networks", "Starz Encore Super Pak", and "Starz Super Pak". As of 2014,
6497-511: The overall Encore brand on March 28, 2005, due to focus tests that revealed that viewers did not know the themed channels were directly related to the service's main channel. All of the multiplex channels had the "Encore" brand incorporated into the names of each channel, though three of the Encore multiplex channels underwent more extensive name changes: True Stories rebranded as Encore Drama, Love Stories became Encore Love and WAM!: America's Kidz Network became simply Encore Wam. Additional changes to
6586-597: The past, theatrical plays . Sports programming is also featured on some premium services; HBO was historically known for its broadcasts of boxing , while Showtime and Epix also carry mixed martial arts events. Some general interest premium channels have aired other professional sporting events in the past: HBO for example, carried games from the National Hockey League (NHL), National Basketball Association (NBA) and American Basketball Association (ABA) in its early years, and from 1975 to 1999 aired
6675-548: The plans fell apart while Heritage went through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The merger also allowed Goldwyn to inherit the Landmark Theatres chain, which was a unit of Heritage. That company and its library were acquired by Metromedia on July 2, 1996, for US$ 125 million. To coincide with the purchase, the Samuel Goldwyn Company was renamed Goldwyn Entertainment Company , and was reconstituted as
6764-456: The preliminary names Arcade and Tweens prior to the launch of the multiplex). Encore initially utilized a numbering system for each multiplex channel: Love Stories was designated as "Encore 2", Westerns was "Encore 3", Mystery was "Encore 4", Action was "Encore 5", True Stories was "Encore 6", WAM! was "Encore 7" and Starz! was designated "Encore 8". Encore eventually abandoned the numbering system for most of its channels in 1996, instead using
6853-449: The previous one to two weeks. Encore Play was a website and mobile app that featured original programming and feature film content from Encore available for streaming in standard or high definition. It was available to Encore subscribers of Verizon FIOS , AT&T U-verse , Cox Communications , Xfinity by Comcast and DirecTV until it was merged with Starz.com on April 5, 2016. The Encore Play iPad , iPhone and iPod Touch app
6942-521: The previous program concludes and when the start time of the next program is. The only universal variation to this is prime time , where the main channel in each pay service's suite usually schedules films to start on the hour. Films comprise much of the content seen on most pay television services, particularly those with a general entertainment format and those that focus exclusively on films . Services often obtain rights to films through exclusive agreements with film distributors . Films acquired during
7031-809: The prior decade). Initially, Encore focused on movies released primarily during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, with some releases from the 1950s mixed in; the channel was formatted similarly to American Movie Classics at the time, with hosted introductions leading into the movie presentations. Breaks between films on Encore during its early years were quite lively, consisting less of promotions and more of trivia and nostalgia, fitting in with Encore's motto "The Movies of Your Life." The channel even ran an interstitial during breaks within its daytime schedule that informed viewers about programs that were scheduled to air on competing premium channels that evening in prime time . The channel had initially broadcast films from Warner Bros. Pictures (owned by Time Warner , which ironically
7120-582: The service for a period of days or weeks; these are typically scheduled to showcase major special event programming, such as the pay cable premiere of a blockbuster feature film, the premiere (either a series or season premiere ) of a widely anticipated or critically acclaimed original series or occasionally, a high-profile special (such as a concert). Subscription services transmitted via analogue terrestrial television have also existed, to varying degrees of success. The most known example of such service in Europe
7209-502: The service provider, Starz Encore provides up to thirteen multiplex channels – eight 24-hour multiplex channels, five of which are simulcast in both standard definition and high definition – as well as a subscription video-on-demand service (Starz Encore On Demand). Starz Encore broadcasts its primary and multiplex channels on both Eastern and Pacific Time Zone schedules. The respective coastal feeds of each channel are usually packaged together (though most cable providers only offer
7298-465: The situation: for example, in the United States, Cinemax and Encore are optionally sold separately from or in a single package with their respective parent networks HBO and Starz, depending on the service provider. The Movie Channel and Flix meanwhile, are usually sold together with Showtime (all three channels are owned by Paramount Global ); though subscribers are required to purchase Showtime in order to receive Flix, The Movie Channel does not have such
7387-410: The son of the famous Hollywood mogul , Samuel Goldwyn , in 1978. The company originally distributed and acquired art-house films from around the world to U.S. audiences; they soon added original productions to their roster as well, starting with The Golden Seal in 1983. In succeeding years, the Goldwyn company was able to obtain (from Samuel Sr.'s estate) the rights to all films produced under
7476-477: The tagline "an encore network" from then on until the early 2002, in contrast, Starz! continued to use the "Encore 8" branding in its main IDs and feature presentation bumpers until 2002, even though that service had been long since separated entirely from the Encore brand by that time, and was given its own slate of multiplex channels. The entire multiplex was rebranded to bring the individual channels back in line with
7565-402: The television programs in the Goldwyn company's library are the television series American Gladiators , Gladiators , Gladiators , Gladiators: Train 2 Win , and Steve Krantz 's miniseries Dadah Is Death . In 1991, after a merger with Heritage Entertainment, Inc., the company went public as Samuel Goldwyn Entertainment . Heritage and Goldwyn attempted to merge during late 1990, but
7654-453: Was Primal Fear . Additional Paramount Pictures releases were broadcast the following month on Encore, such as Racing with the Moon , She's Having a Baby and Black Rain . In April 2013, Encore acquired sub-run rights to feature films from DreamWorks Pictures . The first film broadcast through this deal was In Dreams . Encore generally airs older films released between the 1960s to
7743-711: Was $ 8.99 per month (after a seven-day free trial) for Amazon Prime subscribers to access the Starz/Encore catalog and live feeds. As of 2023, Encore – through Starz – maintains exclusive first-run film licensing agreements with Lionsgate Films (since 2022, including Summit Entertainment since 2023) and Universal Pictures (since 2022, after each films' 18 month window on Peacock and Prime Video) On March 2, 2021, Lionsgate announced films from Lionsgate Films will air on Starz for first-run rights starting in 2022, except Summit Entertainment which will start airing on Starz in 2023 after output deals with Hulu and HBO expire at
7832-747: Was first released on October 8, 2012, followed by the release of the app for Android devices on May 7, 2013; an app for the Xbox 360 was released on December 3, 2013 (available for no extra charge to Xbox Live Gold members) and on the Xbox One on August 5, 2014. The Encore Play service, as well as Movieplex's TVEverywhere service Movieplex Play were merged into Starz's streaming app and website on April 5, 2016. From winter of 2015 to April 5, 2016, Encore's east coast linear feed along with much of its movie and TV series catalog had been offered as part of Starz's add-on subscription service, through Amazon Prime The cost
7921-608: Was then followed by Encore's first movie telecast, the 1980 comedy film 9 to 5 . Encore was the first major U.S. premium channel to debut in almost 11 years, since Cinemax launched on August 1, 1980 – at the time of Encore's launch, Cinemax, HBO, Showtime and The Movie Channel were its only competitors (Encore was the only upstart premium channel that managed to gain any headway with those services; other premium channels that debuted prior to Encore's launch, such as Spotlight and Home Theater Network , were unable to compete with those four channels and would eventually shut down during
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