The phrase “Lifetime movie” has become synonymous with a certain breed of made-for-TV melodrama. Lifetime is looking to harness that built-in branding with the launch of an SVOD service that will offer a package of about 30 original telepics for $3.99 a month.
The Lifetime Movie Club app bows today on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch platforms to start. The movies will be available without commercials, and the assortment of titles will be refreshed weekly.
In recent years, Lifetime has expanded the focus of its original telepics to everything from high-end Emmy-nominated adaptations of “Steel Magnolias” and “The Trip to Bountiful” to kitschy behind-the-scenes looks at pop culture favorites such as “Saved by the Bell” and the upcoming “unauthorized” movies revisiting “Full House,” “Beverly Hills, 90210″ and “Melrose Place.”
But the perception of the “Lifetime movie” brand has been hard to shake. With the app, Lifetime appears to be embracing the built-in recognition factor to generate new revenue from its library properties.
The app will also offer a curated mix of titles under themes such as “Summer Lovin’,” “Teen Troubles” and “Ripped From the Headlines.”
Among the initial batch of titles available will be “Flowers in the Attic,” “Coco Chanel,” “A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story,” “Trip to Bountiful,” “Too Young to Marry” and “Dawn Anna.”
The launch of the SVOD app coincides with the 25th anniversary of Lifetime’s move into original telepics. It also marks the first direct-to-consumer offering from Lifetime parent company A+E.
