Friday, May 23, 2008

ExtendMedia teams with Bell Canada to offer video content

By Mass High Tech

Executives at Newton-based ExtendMedia Corp. report the company’s digital content services software has been employed to deliver movie content for Bell Canada’s Bell Video Store, launched yesterday.

The Bell Canada movie offering allows users to legally download - for rental or purchase - more than 1,500 movies and television shows. Through partnerships with movie studios including Paramount Pictures, Corus Entertainment, Maple Pictures, Eros Entertainment and Image Entertainment, the offering is the first in Canada to offer movies the same day they become available in retail stores, according to a company statement.
 
Founded in 1991 (then as Digital Renaissance), ExtendMedia provides a software platform and related services that allow content owners to distribute full-length content to a number of different devices, including PCs and mobile devices.

The company has raised $23 million in funding, including a $12 million Series B round last spring. Investors include Boston-based TVM Capital and Waltham-based Atlas Venture and Venrock Associates. Additional customers include Hewlett-Packard, SHOWTIME, ClickStar, Cablevision and Manitoba Telecom Services.