LodgeNet Slashes Movie Pricing, Revamps User Interface

Hospitality-industry interactive TV provider LodgeNet revamped its user interface, and slashed the prices for many of the movies it sells in hotel rooms. 

The company unveiled a "VOD 2.0" initiative Tuesday that includes pricing of $10.99 and under for the majority of movies in its library that are available outside the exclusive hotel window, which it said represents a price reduction of 35 percent. LodgeNet said it will also offer "daily deals" on some movies that will be sold for $4.99. 

LodgeNet redesigned its user interface, and said the in-room entertainment systems at many of the major hotel chains it supplies will begin using a MOTO (Menu-On-Turn-On) feature which will allow viewers to navigate its menu as soon as they turn on the TV. 

LodgeNet took a subtle shot at the $30 premium VOD titles that DirecTV and other pay TV providers are beginning to sell to subscribers 60 days after some movies are released in theaters, noting that the $30 price tag is nearly double the costs of titles in LodgeNet's upper pricing tier. It also boasted that it offers VOD titles up to 90 days before most movies are available on Netflix, Redbox and iTunes. More