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BTIG Research analyst Richard Greenfield, never a friend to Redbox, has called on Disney CEO Bob Iger to change his long-held opposition to delay windows and help “kill Redbox.”

Stating that “Disney/Pixar have the most valuable brand in the movie business”, Greenfield believes that Iger should throw his studio’s weight in with the Hollywood Three in imposing 28-day new release delay windows on Redbox.

Greenfield’s remarks came hot on the heels of Redbox parent Coinstar’s announcement this week of a lowered revenue outlook. Unlike many other analysts, Greenfield seems to think that Redbox’s likely inability to reach 2010 revenue targets is indicative of a larger problem. Said Greenfield:

“We hope that Disney takes note of … Redbox news and begins to place a window on all content they sell to Redbox, as it would be an important step in diminishing the negative impact Redbox is having on the movie industry,”

Do you think Greenfield will get his wish, Insiders? Would a delay from Disney, along with existing delays from Fox, Warner and Universal, sink the good ship Redbox?
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Leave your opinion in the comments.

(via Home Media Magazine and the Hollywood Reporter)

75 Responses to “Analyst: Disney Should Help ‘Kill Redbox’”

  1. Visitor [Join Now]
    Jim [visitor]

    No.

  2. Visitor [Join Now]
    John Small [visitor]

    Disney will not likely do it even though they should.

    • Visitor [Join Now]
      Anton [visitor]

      Has anyone noticed that beverly hills chihuahua 2 by Disney is not listed as a new release for Feb 1? On that same date RB lists Alpha and Omega by Lionsgate which came out on Jan 15. I thought Lionsgate had gotten all cozy with RB? Arey they regretting not having Universal distribute their films like in 2009 when they weren’t available through RB. Maybe that’s why Lionsgate is now bankrupt, in just 1 year from working with RB?

  3. Visitor [Join Now]
    Firstlawofnature [visitor]

    Back to work around – no 28 day delay – if any studio asks for too much.

  4. Visitor [Join Now]
    Jason Harris [visitor]

    Do you know how much delaying Disney’s movies would affect my use of Redbox? Zip.

    The bottom line is Redbox is the most affordable way to see Blu-Rays, so I’m not going to pay $24.99 to buy a movie I might watch one time, when I could wait 30 days to rent it for $1.50. In fact, they could delay it 100 days and it wouldn’t matter, because if I didn’t drop $32 to see a matinee with the family four months earlier, then waiting an extra month or two just doesn’t matter.

    The mistake many of the pundits make is they think delaying the movie will make people antsy, but the truth is I generally have no idea when a movie has been released for sale; I only know that Redbox is advertising it will be available to rent in ten days.

    • Visitor [Join Now]
      Barbara [visitor]

      Excellent response, accurate for probably 98% of us that rent movies.

    • Member [Join Now]
      Barnbaby [barnbaby]

      totally agree…

    • Visitor [Join Now]
      rockonstones [visitor]

      Ditto

    • Visitor [Join Now]
      John Small [visitor]

      Even though you are ignorant, most people aren’t.

      • Visitor [Join Now]
        Firstlawofnature [visitor]

        Yeah most of the people here are ‘cheap pathetic losers’ too.

        • Visitor [Join Now]
          John Small [visitor]

          yes, that too.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            rb [visitor]

            Considering the horrific event in Tucsan and Obama’s speech at the memorial service regarding that it’s time to practice civil discourse in our every day lives, let’s start the new year off by practicing some civil discourse here! That is to say, “Practice what you preach”. One can’t condemn others of being ‘ignorant’ , and then exemplify ignorance in their own discourse. Just sayin’…..

          • Member [Join Now]
            starfire008

            So this is what you are reduced to, John – pathetic name calling. Up until now, you seem to be satisfied with just insulting FLON and your volleys back and forth have been mildly amusing. Jason Harris had a well thought out message and a lot of people agree with him. Just because someone is smart enough to not let the studios lead them around by the nose does not make them a loser or ignorant. You should apologize to him. You really are starting to sound like a sore loser.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            John Small [visitor]

            I posted the cheap, pathetic loser comment months ago. It is not new. I recently made a large sum betting against Coinstar. That would make me a poor winner, not a sore loser.

            BTW, his comment was not well thought out. It was his personal experience which does not gibe with the general populace of America.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            firstlawofnature [visitor]

            Many people here are redbox fans with more than one most likely owning shares. Shares bought a year ago have appreciated nicely yet I’ve seen no one beating their chest saying that they have made a large sum of money by owning shares. Yet here you are bragging about how much you made recently. Perhaps some here have made multiples of what you made by owning shares over the past year yet they do not feel the need to speak out about it as you do. Funny.

            You are sadly out of touch with ‘general populace of America.’ You hate wal-mart and redbox despite their obvious popularity with the masses.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            John Small [visitor]

            A certain FLON likes to talk regularly about how well his investment is doing. Even though he didn’t admit he had one for quite some time.

            Just because the general American populace likes something doesn’t make it good for them. Check your waistline and I’m sure you’ll see that.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            rb [visitor]

            You’re comparing apples to oranges when you try to compare/connect the American populace unknowingly/habitually hindering their own welfare by eating/enjoying a lot of junk food that dangerously expands their waistlines, to the American populace preferring to rent from low-cost Redbox vs buying or renting high price movies. Reason the American populace prefers/chooses to rent from low cost Redbox is to help expand their wallets–a penny saved is a penny earned. It’s a wise choice Americans have made in this poor economy. Because Americans have chosen to protect their own wallets instead of expand the studios doesn’t make Americans dumb/gullible as you tend to suggest. Focus! Renting/owning/watching movies is a ‘luxury’ and not a necessity!

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            Firstlawofnature [visitor]

            VGB putz, who disappeared for a few months, came back and started bragging about $25,000? Oh yeah it was you. The subject of share price and money is yours and yours alone.

  5. Member [Join Now]
    spiralone

    The answer all around is no. Disney would only be hurting themselves by imposing a 28 day delay. Seeing as just about everyone (aside from the studios themselves) thinks the 28 day delay is a pretty stupid idea, why should Disney join the other studios in shooting themselves in the foot? I think this shows Disney has some smarts which the other studios lack.

  6. Visitor [Join Now]
    gary [visitor]

    Come on movie moguls get off the greedy soapbox. All the movie distributors have been making millions and continue to make millions from their products sold in the DVD market. Stop crying about lost potential profits. You are richer than you have ever been. I refuse to pay $15 to $20 for their products which most is pure garbage anyway! You can take the movie producers, banks, oil companies and most politicians put them on a ship and sink it-no one would even miss them or realize them gone. Shame on them. And, as for Richard Greenfield why not put your efforts into something constructive like how to rescue the U.S. economy and putting Americans back to work.

    • Visitor [Join Now]
      Anton [visitor]

      He is doing just that. Our county has 2 towns within 10 miles of each. There are now 7 RB kiosks where there used to be 4 video stores, Blockbuster among them. Now there is only 1 indepentent store left, run by the 2 current owners, in the smaller of the two towns. That means Redbox took the jobs of about 10 Americans and replaced them with only 2 RB employees, who probably don’t even live in our county. Nice going Redbox.

      P.S. I already have my copy of Death Race 2 reserved at my local store.

      • Member [Join Now]
        Barnbaby [barnbaby]

        Not a fan of free enterprise, eh ?

      • Visitor [Join Now]
        firstlawofnature [visitor]

        Those 10 American salaries were added to the savings of thousands of other Americans who appreciated the good deal. Move somewhere else if you want a more controlled economy.

        • Visitor [Join Now]
          rb [visitor]

          Agree. When Redbox offers a whole community low cost dvd rentals by putting kiosks in that community, it might take away a COUPLE of American jobs in that community because of the small dvd rental mom and pop shops forced out of business by the presence of the convenient self serve kiosks. However, I consider the savings/benefits to the WHOLE community much greater. A handful of Americans might have lost a low paying job as a result of the kiosks, BUT the WHOLE community, especially struggling families or retired senior citizens in this poor economy, benefit in savings to their wallets by being able to afford a $1 rental to say a $4 or $5 rental. Convenient low-cost dvd rental kiosks like Redbox actually serve the greater good in this poor economy. It keeps more money in the pockets of MANY struggling families, especially with young children, in the community, instead of just filling the pockets of a few minimum wage workers of the community. As I said, you gotta’ take into account the greater good for ALL.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            John Small [visitor]

            Redbox removes choice as well.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            rb [visitor]

            Wrong, wrong, wrong. Redbox OFFERED/GAVE the choice between high cost b&m rentals or low cost kiosk rentals–and the people/consumers have chosen low-cost, self-serve dvd rentals from Redbox kiosks. Low cost kiosks like Redbox don’t help fill the wallets of the studios (much to your disliking), but they do help keep hard earned money in the pockets of the majority of struggling families in this poor economical times. I have come to one small price adjustment though…..Since even my library has been now forced to charge $1 daily to borrow a dvd in this struggling economy, I think a Redbox price adjustment of say 25cents more for the first day rental , $1 each day up to 25 days after that would be understandable/acceptable. I’m a thrifty person but even I would understand and accept such a price increase, especially considering the low cost movie enjoyment Redbox has provided over the years.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            John Small [visitor]

            Once again you fail RB. Redbox reduces the number of movies you can actually rent in a given market. It will reduce the number of good movies being produced. It goes against everything that is good about America. They play you like a sucker and you lap it up like a dog. I feel sorry for you.

        • Visitor [Join Now]
          rb [visitor]

          As a Redbox patron, no need to feel ‘sorry’ for me J.S. I’ve not been victimized by Redbox as you want me and/or others who use Redbox to believe. Victims are forced into submission without being given a choice. For the past several years people were given choices like b&m rentals, Netflix, Redbox, theater, pay for view/on demand, purchase dvds, etc. etc. People make/made choices, based largely on how to spend their hard-earned money wisely in this poor economy. Because their budget-minded rental choices in this poor economy have phased out the sustainability of most high cost b&m rental stores doesn’t make them a victim of low-cost Redbox, Netflix, etc. You’re continued ‘theory/fact’ ??? that Redbox–little old Redbox– is to blame for the poor quality movies being produced by the mighty studios is ..well..just seems to be an excuse for the studios’ lack of talent/creativity these days. It’s a reliance on special effects instead of seeking out great stories to tell/produce.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            John Small [visitor]

            You don’t understand the business model that makes movies work RB. Those big special effects movies are the ones that rake in the cash. The quiet, quality films underperform at the box office but do very well on DVD. At least they did until Redbox destroyed the rental market by undervaluing the product.

            Since the studios no longer have the DVD chain to rely on, they are less likely to risks on the smaller but usually better films. They will trend more towards the crappy special effects laden films that you profess to dislike. Your use of Redbox is hastening the demise of the films you claim to want to see.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            firstlawofnature [visitor]

            You sound like a warped dictator – if we can just eliminate redbox everything would be better.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            rb [visitor]

            I agree that the big special effects movies rake in the most money FOR THE STUDIOS–and obviously raking in the most money FOR THE STUDIOS is the studios’ main priority!!! I think the studios need to understand/reassess with so many new sources/choices for consumers to watch/enjoy movies in their own homes, BIG special effects movies will probably be the only type of movies consumers will be willing to pay theater high prices to take the whole family to go see. Something is lost when you watch/experience special effects movies like Avatar or Inception on your tv as opposed to the big screen. Dialogue-driven movies, indies, etc. are almost preferred watching in the quiet of your own home. The only thing that is ‘devaluing’ movies is the lack of studio talent. Find/produce quality movies worth seeing/buying for common-folk prices –and people might respond. Little old Redbox, Netflix, etc. has nothing to do with the lack of insight/talent of the studios. Studios want/expect to support their high-price business model by tapping into/relying on the pockets of budget-minded consumers that make up the majority of consumers in this poor economy. Studios need to reassess/adjust their business model to fit/take into account the MAJORITY of everyday consumers, and not the other way around.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            John Small [visitor]

            rb, you are wrong in your assessment. You have it completely backwards.

      • Member [Join Now]
        s142424

        The video stores here were already closing before Redbox showed up. Maybe you should blame Netflix instead.

  7. Member [Join Now]
    Lorendahl [lorendahl]

    Does this come from the death throws of Blockbuster trying to save a dying business model?

    It will come down to small family-owned video stores soon, and more importantly VOD. The reason I say this, is because as nice as Redbox is, they don’t carry EVDRYTHING, and they can’t. It’s ok.

    The old fashioned video store will survive and possibly thrive (for a time), and VOD will be a juggernaut. There are just some videos that are not available on VOD and it’s fun to stroll down an aisle and look for videos.

    Disney will have no impact on my Redbox or VOD purchasing/renting, just as none of the other studio’s feeble attempts at a last gasp have had an affect on me either.

  8. Member [Join Now]
    mvisco [mvisco]

    The problem with that idea is that the studios, BB, Redbox, VOD, Netflix & Walmart already put most of the small, family-owned video stores out of business. I should know. I had an old fashioned, family-owned video store for 20 years. We carried the best selection of movies & games with absolutely no help or special deals from the studios. Our store was also an ice cream & coffee shop with a boutique of unique items for sale. None of it was enough after Walmart & BB came into town. We closed after over 20 years and, too late for us, three months later so did the Blockbuster. I’ve always blamed the studios for the demise of the small video stores who made the studios very rich. They turned their backs on those stores & made deals with the big corporations & that, in a nutshell, is what ruined the video business for everyone.

    • Member [Join Now]
      Lorendahl [lorendahl]

      Heh, I used to own a comic book, game and card store. It was back in the height of the comic craze (aka the investor craze), that Marvel decided that they knew what was best, and they bought out their own distributor.

      The industry went to $hit at that point. Our margin on Marvel comics dropped by 15%, and I cut their product orders to the bone, as to try to maximize my profits and survive. They of course had their ‘sales goals’ for us, and wanted to push product down the pipe and tell us our sales so that we’d get something CLOSE to our old pricing.

      They get to big for their own good.

      Sorry to hear about your store. Family owned businesses are always more in tune with the consumer.

  9. Member [Join Now]
    mv62 [mvisco]

    Thanks. Family owned businesses are more in tune but, sadly, the consumer is always looking for the newest carrot & it’s usually too late before they realize they already had the best one.

  10. Member [Join Now]
    tomcole37853

    I think Hollywood needs to make a movie that is worth more than a dollar. This years releases had a few good ones but not many. Simple rule of business is give them what they pay for.

  11. Visitor [Join Now]
    Paul [visitor]

    I think the biggest threat to Redbox is the future of Netflix streaming and Amazon VOD. If Netflix ever decides to offer a “premium” instant watch plan (i.e. you can watch pretty anything that Redbox has) then you can kiss Redbox goodbye. Also, I see more and more .99 movie specials on Amazon VOD which I have rented quite a bit. No tax and no movie to return sure as heck makes it a better deal.

    If things stay as they are though, Redbox customers could care less about one month delays and Redbox should continue to thrive

    • Visitor [Join Now]
      Paul [visitor]

      For example, today you can rent Marmaduke for .99 cents through Amazon VOD. A couple weeks ago they had Inception and The Town (and other top movies) over the holiday weekend. I also love the fact that Amazon regularly gives away $5 VOD credits.

  12. Visitor [Join Now]
    Scooter [visitor]

    Waiting the 30 days don’t bother us. Why would it? The movie executives have priced us out of the theaters. It costs us 40.00 to go see a movie. 25.00 + to buy one. Something we have never done. So waiting an extra 30 days is no big deal. Shoot, we get movies for free from the library.

    Scooter

  13. Visitor [Join Now]
    Ted Striker [visitor]

    Mvisco & Lorendahl — Excellent insight about your experiences owning an independent video store and comic/game store, respectively. I miss those type stores however I understand how the climate has changed for business owners.

    I have a $1.99 second run theater 2 miles from my house and used to go 4-5x a month. However my movie watching has mostly given way to Redbox or Netflix because I can control when/what I watch.

    Also cut the cord 2 years ago with cable after paying $140 a month for years and years. Wasn’t the cost…was the fact their service was terrible. Cable has since offered me deals of $29.99 a month for the same service however Hulu and Amazon and ESPN3.com and other content providers fill the gap.

  14. Member [Join Now]
    Rick.e [rick.e]

    F$&K Disney lmfao.

  15. Visitor [Join Now]
    Bob Paulsen [visitor]

    We all studied how congress put limits on giants to curtail monopoly’s years ago. Then in guise of free enterprise they lifted those restrictions. And the giants got even bigger ! The mom and pops stores carried this country at one time. The balance is out of whack…because we all can’t work for the big ones, can we ?
    As the giants keep swallowing up each other there might come a day we will all work for the same company which will like the company store…..cuz I owe my soul to the…..
    Here’s an idea, impose controls on mega giants company’s and have less control on smaller companys. Exp= allow no 28 day gap for starters. Sorry…I’m no fan big business..when they hiccup they put thousands out of work.

  16. Visitor [Join Now]
    G. Geer [visitor]

    “Would a delay from Disney, along with existing delays from Fox, Warner and Universal, sink the good ship Redbox?”

    I don’t know, but it wouldn’t bother me to have to wait for a month. I mean, there are certainly more important issues to deal with in this economy than attempting to be the first one to see a movie. IMHO.

  17. Visitor [Join Now]
    Jimbo [visitor]

    If all movies had a 28 delay then after 28 days wouldn’t they all be new releases? My assumption: Most people are not going to pay 15 to 25 dollars at a store.

  18. Member [Join Now]
    ChadCronin [chadcronin]

    The industry has changed and people have alot more options now to entertain themselves. All this price stuff is because physical content is the only thing the studios can’t control like they can with the VOD & internet related content. There is alot of content I have enjoyed over the last 20 years that I have plenty to watch. I will buy new Blu-rays for $20 and older for $15 an under, the rest I will rent for $1.50. If a trailer really makes a movie look good I go see it @ the theatre and the ones that look so-so I just rent. If the studios manage to do away with lower price rentals I would just not rent much and would buy less as a result. While I love the HD that Blu-ray provides, I am sickened by the sometimes long loading times due to DRM and the unskippable previews. So do I think Disney should alienate people more, no. I sure hope they don’t get too greedy. I will never go back to paying $3.99 or more for renting an average movie

  19. Visitor [Join Now]
    terry norris [visitor]

    I have never been one to have to see a movie the minute it comes out. I just saw Avitar last month, because it was on demand at my daughters house.If it comes to redbox a year after its release, I will watch it then.

  20. Visitor [Join Now]
    pootroot [visitor]

    Ah,, there is my John Small! Got my daily dose of fun with his remarks. Thanks Johnny Boy

  21. Visitor [Join Now]
    John Big [visitor]

    A month ago, I wanted to rent a movie, so I went to Blockbuster. It was then that I realized the price had increased to 5 dollars for a movie. I asked the employee why, when I could rent it on demand for equal the price and not worry about driving to have it back on time. His response was “I guess they want to go out of business. They are stupid”

    I had never rented at redo befote, nut I thought since there was one close, I would try it. The movie was there, for one dollar. How can I feel sorry for blockbuster? I run a business and the first thing I learned was that people will by where it is cheap even if you are a nice guy. Simple business and if BB hasn’t figured this out, its their problem.

    I stumbled on to this article tonight open minded, but because of the “holier than thou” attitude of this “john small”, I can no longer be unbiased. I am going to redbox tonight to rent something if for no other reason than I know it will bother him. It is very likely this guy has less money than I do. Yet he thinks people will care that he made a “large sum of money” Just silly. If people like you John, only knew how many people you turned into your enemy simply by being a prick, you may think twice about what you say.

    I won’t respond to this because I am busy watching one of the 3 movies I will rent from red box. Thanks, John for giving me a deciding factor in where I choose to rent them.

    • Visitor [Join Now]
      John Small [visitor]

      Wow. Another moron choosing to rent at a place that will make his experience worse.

      Go get’em Biggie. Teach me a lesson by ruining your life.

  22. Visitor [Join Now]
    Firstlawofnature [visitor]

    This is a super retarded argument your smallness. Your contention is that low cost video distribution channels like Redbox are hurting the bottom line of studios to such an extent that they no longer can justify the budgets to bring quality entertainment. Your argument is deeply flawed. Redbox did not usher in the era of renting vs buying. Sell through was declining before Redbox rolled out in a big way. There are many factors causing studios pressure. You know this. The internet and it’s vast expanse surely is a large factor. Facebook, youtube, farmville, console gaming, DVR, original cable TV content etc are all grabbing time and attention away from movies and lowering the value of the studios output. To blame little old Redbox for the trend is just plain foolish. If little old Redbox truly was the cause, the studios could get together, buy it and simply shut it down to get back to printing money again. Of course this won’t happen because they know that Redbox is but one factor of many that is challenging their business.

    On the flip side of your ridiculous argument that consumers are hurting themselves by patronizing Redbox you might as well state your solution. You believe consumers should start to patronize higher cost VBG video stores more frequently. If consumers favored higher cost channels then eventually more profits would flow to the studios which would cause them to make more and better content which would ultimately be more rewarding to individual consumers. IOW it’s in our best interest to pay more today for movies because there will be a benefit later on.

    This is a ridiculous contention. All the other factors pressuring studios wouldn’t be solved if US consumers gravitated towards $4 and $5 rentals from $1 and $2 rentals. I guess you expect a blind leap of faith from consumers in mass. Completely ridiculous. A more enterprising business person might consider adapting his/her enterprise to current consumer behavior. Lower cost content or big show Avatar productions might be called for.

    Only a fool would blame Redbox for the current woes besieging the whole industry.

    • Visitor [Join Now]
      John Small [visitor]

      FLON, once again you prove how little you know about the rental side of the industry. Do your research before you make yourself look like an ever bigger idiot.

      • Visitor [Join Now]
        firstlawofnature [visitor]

        You have no game.

        • Visitor [Join Now]
          John Small [visitor]

          No seriously. You’ve invested in this company, you should know how the economics of the various income streams for the studios affect the way they make movies. Redbox is directly affecting the production of low budget cinema as we speak. Their narrowed focus of releases plus their reduction of the rentail landscape will have major consequences over the coming years.

        • Visitor [Join Now]
          firstlawofnature [visitor]

          Redbox is but one factor that affects studio economics. You know this. The internet is eating consumers’ free time and transforming businesses like nothing before it. A massive recession is another factor. Because you are a champion of the stores you blame the big red ugly for your woes despite evidence to the contrary.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            John Small [visitor]

            It is a major factor affecting the rentail landscape. To deny this is to deny reality itself.

          • Visitor [Join Now]
            Firstlawofnature [visitor]

            So weak of you. You’ve retreated from your argument that redbox is making content worse and left us with the fact they are altering the rentail space. Yes redbox is helping to shift the rentail space. No it is not THE cause of the decline in studio economics. 25 other trends figure into it as well.

  23. Visitor [Join Now]
    Consumer [visitor]

    Did anyone else notice that on the Coming Soon page for Redbox, “Secretariat” is not listed for January 25th? I thought it was there last week. I haven’t checked my local kiosk to see if it’s there.

    • Visitor [Join Now]
      Consumer [visitor]

      Redbox does have “Secretariat” today but they must only have a copy or two in each kiosk. It was kind of hard to get.

      • Visitor [Join Now]
        Anton [visitor]

        Disney does not give RB any discount on thier content. RB states that dvd’s have a shelve life of about 15 rentals. If Disney DVD’s cost $20 to purchase, then it does RB no good to stock it full of $5 losses. You’re right, they do only have 1 or 2 copies in each kiosk. That’s why they don’t advertise the heck out of it since it most likely won’t be there when you go looking for it. Hence Disney doesn’t withold their movies. Disney got RB to pay top dollar for thier content, something WB, Fox, and Universal coulndn’t do.

  24. Visitor [Join Now]
    Consumer [visitor]

    Company Town
    The business behind the show

    February 16, 2011 | 8:05 am

    Amid calls from some on Wall Street to choke off the supply of newly released DVDs to discount movie rental services, Walt Disney Co. has quietly decided to hike its wholesale prices on new-release DVDs for Redbox and Netflix, according to people familiar with the matter.

    The move marks a subtle shift in Disney’s relationship with Netflix and Redbox, and one that stands in contrast with most of Hollywood’s dealings with the two rental giants. Other studios have refused to supply DVDs to Netflix and Redbox until 28 days after they are released out of concern that low-cost rentals will undercut DVD sales. Disney, on the other hand, all along has been supplying Netflix and Redbox with DVDs at the same time they go on sale, albeit at a lower price.

    Disney will now charge Redbox and Netflix the full wholesale rate — as much as $17.99 — for its DVDs, the people said. That’s more than studios often charge their largest wholesale customers and less than big retailers like Wal-Mart charge consumers for the popular new releases.

    The change started with “Secretariat,” which was released on DVD on Jan. 25, even though the studio said nothing public about it at the time.

    Disney believes that its family-friendly fare, particularly animated films, is the type that consumers want to own for repeated viewing and therefore is not likely to be hurt by rentals, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

    How the new policy with affect Disney remains to be seen. By increasing the prices Redbox and Netflix pay for new releases, Disney could either increase the revenue it generates from those companies or force them to buy fewer copies and reduce their supply. That in turn could push frustrated consumers who want to rent toward other options like cable and Internet video-on-demand.

    Redbox President Mitch Lowe confirmed that his company had reached a new agreement with Disney but said it would continue to offer Disney DVDs the same day they go on sale for $1 per night. A Netflix spokesman declined to discuss the issue. However, “Secretariat” is currently available to the company’s subscribers.

    The wholesale price Disney charges Netflix and Redbox for DVDs would drop to $10.79 at 28 days after they go on sale, according to one person with knowledge of the matter. That’s the same amount of time that Fox, Universal and Warner make Redbox and Netflix wait to offer their movies. Sony imposes the four-week delay on Netflix only for movies that gross more than $50 million at the domestic box office. Paramount offers its movies to Redbox and Netflix the same day they go on sale.

    The studios that have imposed delays have contended that $1-per-night rentals from Redbox kiosks or Netflix subscriptions devalue their content and undermine more-profitable disc sales and video-on-demand rentals.

    There has been pressure on Disney to follow their lead. Outspoken media analyst Richard Greenfield of BTIG recently recommended that the media giant do just that, saying it would be “an important step in diminishing the negative impact Redbox is having on the movie industry.”

    A Disney spokesman declined to comment. However, the company will probably discuss its home-entertainment strategy at an investor conference in Anaheim on Thursday, a person familiar with the matter said.

    — Dawn C. Chmielewski and Ben Fritz