Tribune Media Services and Blockbuster Enter Agreement to Enhance New On Demand Digital Movie Rental Service

CHICAGO, Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Tribune Media Services (TMS), the leading provider of entertainment information databases, and Blockbuster Inc., a leading global provider of media entertainment, have entered into an agreement where TMS will map its industry-leading movie metadata to a specific library of Blockbuster movie content.

TiVo Inc. is the first joint customer of TMS and Blockbuster to deploy the BLOCKBUSTER On Demand® service.  Through the service, owners of broadband-connected TiVo® Series2™, Series3™ and TiVo HD DVRs have instant access to the Blockbuster catalog of new releases, popular hits and independent movie favorites.  The launch of BLOCKBUSTER On Demand® is another step in the drive to make Blockbuster branded services available via Web-connected consumer electronics devices.

The mapping of TMS movie metadata to the Blockbuster catalog allows joint customers to easily integrate Blockbuster titles throughout their video services' navigation screens and menus.  In addition, deep metadata from TMS allows better search results to help consumers easily discover the Blockbuster movies that most meet their interests and mood.

Given the wide distribution of TMS entertainment data across online guides, set-top boxes and consumer electronics devices, TMS plays a central role in helping innovative content distributors like Blockbuster easily integrate their offerings with many of the most popular video services and consumer electronics devices.

"As more video options are available across more media platforms, consumers need easier ways to search across thousands of titles," said Jay Fehnel, Vice President TMS' Entertainment Information division.  "TMS is in the perfect position to help Blockbuster and other companies make life easier for consumers, by linking their content libraries to our widely distributed TV and movie metadata."

TMS metadata powers the leading television and movie guide products which reach millions of consumers in 40 countries through clients including Microsoft, Google, TiVo, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, IMDb and The New York Times.

About Tribune Media Services

Tribune Media Services' Entertainment Products division is an international leader in entertainment navigation.  TMS provides industry-leading databases of TV, movie and celebrity information; guides in print, online and on-screen formats; and advertising and marketing services to build audiences.  The company also produces Zap2it.com, the web site that connects engaged entertainment fanatics to popular TV shows, celebrities, movies, events and other fans.  For more information about TMS Entertainment Products visit TribuneMediaServices.com.

About Blockbuster

Blockbuster Inc. is a leading global provider of rental and retail movie and game entertainment. The company provides customers with convenient access to media entertainment anywhere, any way they want it - whether in-store, by-mail, through vending kiosks or digitally downloaded directly to their family room or mobile device. With a highly recognized brand name and a library of more than 125,000 movie and game titles, Blockbuster leverages its multichannel presence to serve two million daily global customers and more than 50 million annual global customers. The company may be accessed worldwide at www.blockbuster.com.

SOURCE Tribune Media Services