Hollywood Studios, Cable Systems Tout On-Demand Films

Hollywood's biggest film studios and the largest U.S. cable systems are joining in a $30 million marketing effort to build consumer awareness of on-demand movie rentals as DVD sales decline.

Participating studios include News Corp., Sony Corp., Universal Pictures and Time Warner Inc., the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing Co-Op said today in an e-mailed statement. The campaign will highlight recent releases, including the Oscar-nominated "Precious," "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," and "Pirate Radio." The promotion highlights studios' efforts to bolster revenue, as DVD sales drop, and cable companies' attempts to combat a threat from Web-based services such as Boxee Inc. and Roku Inc. Studios are likely to make more video-on-demand titles available on the same day as the DVD goes on sale, said Mike Dunn, president of News Corp.'s Fox Home Entertainment.