MGM Unit to License Films to CinemaNow

Broadening its efforts to attract viewers on the Internet, MGM Home Entertainment, a subsidiary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., has agreed to license its movies to CinemaNow Inc., an online movie distributor in Marina del Rey.

The two firms are expected to announce the deal today. It would give privately held CinemaNow access to MGM’s films for streaming or downloading as soon as they are released to pay-per-view services on cable and satellite TV. The deal expands on a trial that MGM conducted with CinemaNow last year. Financial terms were not disclosed.

MGM offers downloadable films through Movielink, which it owns with four other major Hollywood studios.

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-- Jon Healey