I'm not exactly a long-term bull on Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) -- it's in a highly competitive industry, as consumers find more and more ways to get telephone, television, and high-speed Internet access. However, I like the spirit behind a new service Comcast is launching for Halloween and beyond: horror channel FearNet.
As a longtime horror fan, I may be biased. Aside from a few masterpieces here and there, horror has accumulated a pulpy, B-grade reputation in Hollywood -- but it also draws a hardcore fan base in a highly desirable advertising demographic. (Comcast says 60% of 18- to-34-year-olds are horror fans). The low-budget horror flicks Hollywood cranks out, though frequently lacking in star power, often rake in solid box-office returns.
FearNet, which will be supported through advertising and fees from cable operators that want to carry the network, will offer 1,000 movies from the formidable libraries of Sony (NYSE:SNE) and Lions Gate (NYSE:LGF). Lions Gate is well-known in the genre, given its popular Saw franchise (whose third installment recently proved another Halloween hit), as well as movies like Hostel and Ju-On: The Grudge. It also bought Artisan Entertainment, the name behind The Blair Witch Project, and earlier this year, it released The Descent, an excellent but little-seen spine-tingler.
In addition to classics like Carrie, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and Night of the Living Dead, FearNet will also offer shorts from directors like horror king Wes Craven. People can watch the content on demand through Comcast, or go to the FearNet website, where they can watch nine movies per month for free. They will also be able to rent or buy digital titles through Guba. Apparently, the site even hopes to emulate News Corp.'s (NYSE:NWS) MySpace for an audience of horror fans, allowing people to create their own Web pages within the community. A genre with little mainstream acclaim or attention is often perfect for developing intense fan communities.
Furthermore, FearNet also makes sense because of the ways in which it might lure a youthful audience. Many young fans are tempted to pirate horror movies from peer-to-peer file-sharing sites. Maybe that can be mitigated to some extent if they're given the opportunity to see what they like, when they want it, on a more legitimate basis.
This may not be a huge cash generator, but it certainly might help. Furthermore, it might be one more thing to like about Comcast programming -- I've often considered switching to some rival like DirecTV (NYSE:DTV), but believe it or not, the idea of video-on-demand horror movies does make me pause. Innovative services like this one, blending traditional programming and the Internet and geared toward popular niches that easily lend themselves to Web-based communities, should do a lot to help capture eyeballs -- and scare up some ad dollars.
For more on movies and the Internet, see the following Foolish articles:
- Is Sawstill cutting it?
- This has been the year for movie download dreams and dilemmas.
- Gear up for a BitTorrential disruption?
David and Tom Gardner recommend two stocks to Motley Fool Stock Advisor subscribers every month. Take a look at their latest picks as well as all the recommendations since 2002 with a 30-day free trial.
Alyce Lomax does not own shares of any of the companies mentioned. She is rated 2,633 out of 11,896 in CAPS.
