CinemaNow sends VOD to college

Online film service CinemaNow says it will work with a broadband entertainment start-up called Cflix to deliver VOD (video on demand) services to college students. Under the deal, the companies will conduct a trial with Duke University students, hosting a CinemaNow channel that will be made available to the college's closed LAN (local area network). The companies said the deal is part of their plans to analyze the online behavior of college students as well as their demand for downloading and streaming video over the Web. Marina del Rey, Calif.-based CinemaNow is majority-owned by Lions Gate Entertainment with investors that include Microsoft and Blockbuster. In February, the company signed a deal to showcase popular films from MGM Home Entertainment.