Positioning

The Movie Channel

Positioning THE MOVIE CHANNEL means finding a niche for it in
people's needs -- finding the hole it fills in a consumer's brain.

Only one product at a time can fill the niche. You need to claim your space
from someone else, or explain your product differently enough so you create
a new niche.
 THE TOP COMPETITORS

HBO
SHOWTIME
CINEMAX
THE MOVIE CHANNEL
 WHAT DEFINES
THE PREMIUM SERVICES --
MOVIES

There is no difference in consumer's minds.

"Exclusive" has become a meaningless word. There are no exclusives in a

world of Multiplexes and video stores, and in an environment where
newspapers list the satellite channels all on the same page.

Every channel gets about the same number of "must-see's" as the others.
Every channel gets them at about the same time. Every service has about the
same number of movies (counting the ones subscribers care about seeing,
that is). Every channel runs them often enough for viewers to catch the ones
they want, especially now that everyone owns a VCR.
 WHAT DEFINES
THE PREMIUM SERVICES --
OTHER PROGRAMMING

Right now, the other pay channels use programming to distinguish

themselves from each other, to enhance the promotable value of what are
basically parity movie service products --

HBO -- Events (Tina Turner Live, live Comedy Hours, On Location

comedy specials, Undercover documentaries, Welcome home Vietnam Vets,
Boxing, etc.)

CINEMAX -- Specials (Comedy Experiments, Cinemax Sessions)

SHOWTIME -- Series and Specials (Brothers, It's Garry Shandling,

Paper Chase, Boxing, Paul Simon Graceland, etc.)

THE MOVIE CHANNEL has nothing like this to claim. Nor does it plan
anything. THE MOVIE CHANNEL is movies. Nothing but.
 NARROWING THE COMPETITION

THE MOVIE CHANNEL cannot sucessfully compete against three enemies.

It must define a single enemy -- lump together those other services and
eliminate them from the way we define premium cable.
 THE SAME--

BUT LESS

The other channels have successfully sold the point of view that "movies
alone" does not a pay service make. They have told us through their
advertising and promotion that " cable entertainment" must include these
other programming items--specials, concerts, series, --to be complete.

Using "their" benchmark, THE MOVIE CHANNEL is the same, but less.
 BUT SUBSCRIBERS DECIDE WHAT'S IMPORTANT,
NOT PROGRAMMERS

By definition, specials appeal to special interests, not general interests. And

in general, subscribers don't watch the specials.

"Movies" are why people subscribe to premium channels.

If we approach the problem positively, THE MOVIE CHANNEL is not the

odd man out. It is the only service doing the job right, doing the job
consumers want done.
 WHAT DO WE WANT
THE MOVIE CHANNEL
TO MEAN?

Not that it is "only movies".

"Only movies" can mean something is missing. ("You mean it's only
movies? Where's all the other stuff?")

THE MOVIE CHANNEL is complete--everything most people want from

premium cable.

It's whole. No parts missing. A WHOLE CHANNEL FOR MOVIES.

 WHAT DO WE WANT
THE MOVIE CHANNEL
TO MEAN?

A channel that understands what's important about movies.

Not just stars, or hits, or action.

What's important is what happens inside your head.

Movies are ESCAPE. IMAGINATION.

 WHAT DO WE WANT
THE MOVIE CHANNEL
TO MEAN?

A service, not just movies on TV.

TV --compatible scheduling.

Plus, interstitial time filled with:

ET-style reports about new releases.

Movie talk shows (Billy Bob call-outs?)
Video release info.
Today in movie history (TODAY!)

Give subs a lot of ways to use the channel. No longer a channel for movies.

Instead, we become a channel DEVOTED TO MOVIES.

 POSITIONING STATEMENT

IMAGINE A WHOLE CHANNEL

DEVOTED TO MOVIES:

THE MOVIE CHANNEL

The End.