Epix (TV channel)

Epix (pronounced "epics") is an American premium television channel that is operated by Studio 3 Partners—a joint venture among Viacom (specifically its subdivision Paramount Pictures), MGM, and Lionsgate. Viacom handles operational support, including marketing and affiliate services for the service through its MTV Networks division.

Epix offers a companion video on demand service.^[1][2] In order to access online on-demand program content, subscribers must have a digital box.^[3]

Origins

The announcement of the formation of Epix came on April 21, 2008 after negotiations between Paramount Pictures, MGM and Lionsgate Entertainment with Showtime (owned by CBS Corporation) on new film output deals fell through, with the sticking points that led to contract talks breaking down linked to the failure between the studios and Showtime on agreeing to compensation for providing the channel with movies from those studios.^[4]

The three studios were some of Showtime's major film suppliers, and Paramount had an output deal with Showtime since 1997, after then-parent Viacom (which also owned Showtime until 2006, when CBS and Viacom split up its assets) purchased Paramount Pictures in 1994. Paramount Pictures' contract with Showtime expired in January 2008, while MGM and Lionsgate's contracts expired at the end of 2008.^[5] Though Epix was first announced by Paramount/Viacom, Lionsgate and MGM as strictly a premium service, it eventually began to seek distribution as a hybrid premium/digital basic channel with programming broadcast uncut and commercial-free in the same manner as a traditional premium service. The channel also reportedly sought a monthly license fee of $1 to $1.50 per subscriber.^[6]

On August 28, 2009, Epix launched a free preview to Verizon FiOS subscribers, showing selected films that the channel will offer upon its initial premiere. This included the premium cable debuts of Iron Man, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and Cloverfield. During this preview, Epix added between five to seven movie selections every three days from the libraries of its three major studio backers. On September 25, 2009, the channel announced plans for an expanded online video-on-demand service, which would be called Epix MegaPlex, that was expected offer at least 3,000 film titles beginning in the summer of 2010, while the basic Epix online VOD service would have about 200 titles upon its official October 2010 launch and with a possible expansion to 500 title by the end of 2009.^[7]

The Epix television service officially launched at 8 p.m. ET on October 30, 2009^[8][9] on Verizon FiOS IPTV systems, with the website's on-demand film content launching to the public the day before (for a month prior to the channel's launch, only potential providers had access to film content). The first program to air on the channel was the film Iron Man, followed by the concert special Madonna Sticky & Sweet Tour: Live from Buenos Aires.

Epix also provided those who were Verizon FiOS subscribers and also to non-Verizon FiOS subscribers, special free preview weekends of the online service using online invite codes given on a first come, first served basis to be able to access the website's film content through the end of November 2009.^[10]

Netflix and Epix announced on August 10, 2010 that Netflix subscribers would be able to view streaming movie titles from Epix. Titles became available on September 1, 2010, with some newer titles having a 90-day delay after the premiere on Epix.^[11]

Epix HD

Epix HD is a 1080i high definition simulcast of the East Coast feed of the Epix channel. It was launched on October 30, 2009 along with the standard-definition version of the channel. It is currently available nationally through Dish Network, and is carried regionally by Verizon FiOS, Charter Communications, Mediacom, Cox Communications, Suddenlink^[12] and EPB. The "Epix HD" name is also used by the online on-demand service. Programming content on online services are offered in 720p.

Television carriage

Current

• On July 28, 2009, it was announced that Epix has signed a carriage deal with Verizon FiOS. Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman has promised the announcement of more distribution deals "in the near future." ^[13] The single channel was available to Verizon FiOS subscribers for free for the channel's debut weekend with a monthly subscription to the channel costing $9.99 per month ^[14](in comparison, a subscription to multi-channel services such as HBO costs $14.99 a month, while Cinemax, Showtime and Starz each cost $12.99).
• On January 9, 2010, it was announced that Cox Communications had reached a carriage deal with Epix.^[15] The channel became available on April 1, 2010 on their TV service in both standard and high definition formats, as well as on demand and online.^[16] The channel is available its digital "Movie Pak" tier subscribers, and is optionally offered as a stand-alone premium channel.^[17]
• On January 14, 2010, Mediacom reached a carriage deal with the channel.^[18] It began airing on the provider's systems in April 2010, carried on television, on demand and online.
• On April 19, 2010, Dish Network announced that it would immediately begin to carry the channel, along with ShortsHD, as part of its "PlatinumHD" package.^[19] However, only the HD version is carried.
• On April 29, 2010, Charter Communications picked up Epix as a package that offers both the Channel in SD (150 Titles at a time) and HD (75 Titles at a time), all available on Charter Video on Demand, and online streaming for just $10 monthly.^[20]
• On May 12, 2010, Dish Network became the first broadcaster to launch Epix 2 HD, the sister channel of Epix 1 HD.^[21]
• On August 11, 2010, Dish Network began carrying new channel The 3 From Epix, which carries movies from the 1970s to the present.^[22]
• On July 29, 2011, Epix launched its service on the Roku streaming player. It is currently only available to cable and satellite subscribers of Epix as well as individuals using the 14 day free trial.^[23]

Providers not carrying Epix

DirecTV, Comcast, and Cablevision have announced that they will not carry the channel.^[24] DirecTV said of premium channels (particularly Epix): "We think there are enough of them out there already, we don't see the value of adding another movie channel."^[24]

Uncertain status

There is no word yet on whether major cable providers Time Warner Cable, Cable One, AT&T U-Verse, US Cable or other cable providers will carry the service.

Programming

Movie library

Epix currently has exclusive deals with major and smaller independent movie studios. Films featured on the channel include recent releases from Viacom-owned Paramount Pictures (and their subsidiaries Paramount Vantage, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies), as well as titles from MGM (and its subsidiary United Artists) and Lionsgate (along with subsidiary Mandate Pictures). Prior to its launch, Epix also signed an exclusive first-run agreement with Samuel Goldwyn Films. The channel also signed an exclusive deal to carry 22 feature films from independent film studio Roadside Attractions, owned in part by Lionsgate.^[25]

The window between a film's initial release in theatres and its initial screening on Epix is stated to be slightly smaller than on HBO, Showtime and Starz, and will have a longer time of license than the other pay TV channels.^[26] Epix's movie schedule is similar to that of the main Encore channel, in that recent film releases are mixed in with older films from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and recently released films are often followed and/or preceded by older pre-1999 films in daytime and prime time slots.

Original programming

Epix has greenlit its first original series pilot, Tough Trade, a drama from Lionsgate Television to be executive produced by Weeds creator Jenji Kohan. The series is described as a look at three generations of a dysfunctional famous family in country music, and was created by Chris Offutt, novelist and scribe on Lionsgate-produced Weeds. The pilot began filming in Nashville, TN in late summer 2009 for a possible series launch in 2010. The series was developed by Furst Films through a first-look deal with Lionsgate. Brothers Sean Furst and Bryan Furst will executive produce the pilot along with Kohan and Offutt.^[27]

Epix might also air a mini-series adaptation of Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged. Actress Charlize Theron has been involved in preliminary talks with Lionsgate and producers Howard and Karen Baldwin to develop and star in the mini-series.^[28]

On the November 30, 2009 edition of The Opie & Anthony Show, Lewis Black said he and Eddie Izzard will have the first two stand-up specials on the channel. Black's comedy special Stark Raving Black premiered on the channel on December 5, 2009.

On May 3, 2010 Deadline.com reported the following pilots are in development for Epix:

• The Supremes - A one-hour drama about a Supreme Court clerk.
• Untitled Project - A one-hour drama about a young guy who goes to work for Penthouse Magazine.
• Random Acts - A half-hour action comedy about two female assassins working for an eccentric crime boss while looking for love.
• Human Resources - A half-hour comedy thriller about a group of new hires at software company who discover that they may not be management trainees after all.
• Gonzo - A one-hour drama about war journalists in the 1980s searching for a missing comrade in a Central American country rattled by corruption, greed, and political intrigue.
• Margin Of Error - A one-hour dramedy about a workaholic campaign strategist who launches a new political campaign every season.
• Pulp Bromance - A one-hour action/dramedy based on a book series about a buddy relationship between two assassins in the most dangerous city in the world.

^[29]

Sports programming

On March 19, 2011, Epix became the third premium cable channel (after HBO and Showtime) to offer boxing events on its schedule. The network aired a heavyweight title fight between Vitali Klitschko and Odlanier Solis held in Cologne, Germany. In addition to airing on the linear Epix channel, the fight was also streamed live on its website.^[30] The fight was the first heavyweight title boxing event to air on American television since Klitschko’s September 2009 match against Chris Arreola (which aired one month prior to Epix's debut), and the first televised heavyweight championship bout since Klitschko’s December 2009 match against Kevin Johnson.^[31] Epix is also the only HD broadcaster of Bellator Fighting Championships, a mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament. Bellator's other broadcaster, MTV2, currently has no HD channel.^[32]

References

External links

• Official site