Sony Pictures Television International has become the latest major producer to enter the burgeoning UK video-on-demand market.
Sony Pictures Television International has become the latest major producer to enter the burgeoning UK video-on-demand market.

The US studio has signed a three-year deal with digital distributor Arts Alliance Media to make a catalogue of some 180 films available to download to rent online, including new releases such as The Da Vinci Codeand Spider-Man 3.

The content will initially be made available through download site Love Film and AOL, although a Sony-branded site is also a possibility.

Sony is now considering adding its TV programming, which includes series such as Married with Children, Dawson's Creekand Seinfeld, to the service.

Sony senior vice-president of European sales distribution Stuart Baxter said the company was aggressively exploring VoD and electronic sell-through opportunities across Europe.

London-based Arts Alliance Media is fast developing its reputation for providing European VoD services to major producers. It signed a deal with Fremantle Media, revealed by Broadcastlast month, and has agreements in place with US studios Warner Brothers and NBC Universal.