Comcast May Test New 'Windows' for Movies on Cable

As Comcast prepares to take control of NBC Universal from General Electric, the cable company's executives are looking to explore new ways of "windowing." Windowing -- the time periods during which movies can be watched at the theater, on DVD or on TV -- has been a bedrock of the Hollywood business model for years. But according to people close to the matter, Comcast wants to use Universal's vast film library to expand its own video-on-demand opportunities. Further in the future, Comcast could break what has been a taboo in the movie business: allowing consumers to watch a film at home while it is still being shown in theaters. In that case, Comcast would bet that its cable customers would pay a premium to see a just-released film. But it remains unclear if Comcast favors shifting that particular window. But innovations in those areas may take longer than Comcast and others expect because of key relationships with chains such as Wal-Mart Stores, the biggest DVD retailer in the US.