We had some questions about Toonami Jetstream, the new joint venture between Viz and Cartoon Network to provide streaming video of Viz anime and Cartoon Network programming (see 'Viz and Cartoon Netowrk Stream Together') and how it would affect DVD sales, and interviewed Viz Executive Vice President John Easum to get the answers. 

 

How will the episodes available via Toonami Jetstream relate to DVD  availability--will they uniformly be available before DVD availability, after DVD availability, or will it vary?

Our strategy will vary depending on the property, so there is no absolute answer.  By building excitement and awareness for our titles, Toonami Jetstream is an opportunity to build our DVD business and brand popularity overall.  To be clear, our Jetstream strategy will serve to promote and enhance our DVD business by creating a much larger audience for our content.

 

What incentive will fans that stream episodes have to buy the DVD?

Again, Jetstream is currently not planned as a download service.

As noted above, our programming strategy will be structured to promote our DVD category and other business areas.  Episodes will remain on Toonami Jetstream for a limited time, so we anticipate that our fans will definitely want to acquire the DVD for home use.  We have a very rich selection of action-adventure series, and broadband offers a new distribution outlet that reaches over 50% of U.S. online households that have a broadband connection.

 

Toonami Jetstream provides an enormous opportunity to extend our programming reach and awareness for new shows that have not previously been broadcast, and thus creates a much larger market for VIZ brands.

 

For certain titles, VIZ Media will also continue to provide our DVD consumers with a variety of exciting bonus options ranging from 'uncut' and/or original Japanese language subtitles episodes, to behind the scenes features and more.

 

I'm seeing Cartoon Network and VIZ properties in this venture.  Will there ever be programs that are neither Cartoon Network or Viz?

We are considering other exciting titles that may be compelling for Toonami Jetstream, but we cannot mention them at this time.