BitTorrent Signs Licensing Deal with Movie Studios

After a groundbreaking agreement with Warner Bros. Entertainment Group just two months ago that will allow it to legally distribute movies over p2p technology, BitTorrent has inked similar deals with several entertainment companies. As a result, the company is planning to make available for download a series of feature films, TV shows and other video entertainment content.

Four independent movie studios have entered into agreement with the San Francisco-based file-sharing company and through its users will be able to buy licensed copies of over 1.600 video titles. With this, the controversial distribution system aims at introducing a shift in consumer mentality that will ultimately lead to reducing the illicit downloads intermediated by the peer-to-peer technology.

"This shows that BitTorrent is an aggregator of content outside the major movie studios," said Ashwin Navin, BitTorrent's co-founder and president. "We'll be able to offer consumers a subscription service that will be comprehensive."

Hart Sharp Video, Egami Media (a subsidiary of Image Entertainment), Koch Entertainment and The Orchard are the four film studios that will offer through BitTorrent feature-length and short films, music concerts, documentaries, comedy shows and other TV programs.