[x-pubpol] Miramax CEO Mike Lang comments at Mipcom

[Joly MacFie]

http://paidcontent.org/article/419-more-than-half-of-netflixs-streams-are-tv-show-not-films/

Miramax is one of Netflix’s key partners, with Lang having joined as CEO in
December 2010 with the ambition of striking a series of digital distribution
deals. He previously worked as executive vice president of business
development and strategy at Fox (NSDQ:
NWS<http://finance.paidcontent.org/paidcontent?Page=QUOTE&Ticker=NWS>)
Entertainment, where he was closely involved in the acquisition of Myspace
and the creation of online TV service Hulu.

“In a way I’d like to believe our company is a bit more Silicon Valley than
Hollywood,” said Lang during the keynote, while outlining Miramax’s strategy
of working with traditional TV partners, new services like Netflix and Hulu,
and launching its own direct-to-consumer offering on Facebook, iPad and
Google (NSDQ: GOOG<http://finance.paidcontent.org/paidcontent?Page=QUOTE&Ticker=GOOG>)
TV.

“We believe that* cross-platform is key to growing the digital transactions
business*,” he said. “We believe that all these different platforms can be
complementary and co-exist together. We think everything starts with the
consumer. They’re not focused on windows or on what schedule they can watch
something or on which device.”

Lang also said that when he joined Miramax, the studio was “basically closed
for business”, despite having a library of more than 700 films. “It was a
case of innovate or die,” he said, before outlining why this means he loses
little sleep worrying about piracy.

“Piracy really is not the bigger issue for our company or for our library.
It’s been lack of exploitation, just not getting it out there,” said Lang.
“Most consumers at some point in their life don’t want to pirate. The way to
then react to that is to offer legitimate, great services for them.”

Lang noted that there is still a “robust market” for ownership of films,
even in the physical world, citing the upcoming Blu-ray release of Pulp
Fiction with a raft of extra content as a good example.

He also drew on his experience of the music industry when launching Myspace
Music to suggest a key lesson that the film and TV industries need to learn.

“Apple (NSDQ: AAPL<http://finance.paidcontent.org/paidcontent?Page=QUOTE&Ticker=AAPL>)
is the strongest company in the music industry, and because there was not
enough competition, and still to this day is not enough competition, as an
industry it can’t then influence, packaging, merchandising… all the things
that are vital,” said Lang.

“As the movie business we have to be very cogniscant of that. That’s why we
did our deal with Netflix, and why we also did our deal with Hulu. We want
multiple players to be successful… Our goal as an industry should be to have
as many as possible, ad may the best service win.”

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