After an FCC ruling allowing the activation of technology that blocks duplication of video-on-demand titles, studios have been quietly planning to launch a "premium" VOD option of first run movies for $24.99. Predictably, movie theaters are not too happy. Studios are currently planning to wait 45 days after theatrical release to make these premium on-demand titles available. With a few exceptions, this is the time frame in which most theatrical releases make the bulk of their box-office gross. Still, now might be a good time for theaters to start actually enforcing the no cell phone rule. [New York Times]
