Fox Sets Deal for Downloadable Movies

News Corp. subsidiary 20th Century Fox plans to make its movies available online for the first time, offering downloadable versions of selected titles through Marina del Rey-based CinemaNow Inc.

Financial terms of the deal, which is expected to be announced today, were not disclosed.

Fox announced an Internet movie joint venture in 2001 with Walt Disney Co., but that project was shelved last year because of antitrust concerns before it got off the ground.

The deal calls for Fox to make all of its new movies available through CinemaNow as soon as they are released to cable and satellite TV pay-per-view services -- about 45 days after they reach video rental stores, as well as a limited number of older titles.

The downloadable movies have electronic locks that deter copying and stop playback 24 hours after first viewed.