deo cassette tapes, although other types of programming are also recorded on video cassette tapes. Motion picture producers employ five channels of distribution for their feature length films. These five channels are (1) theater distribution, (2)
premium payment cable television, (3) basic cable television, (4) free television both networks, and independent stations, and (5) prerecorded video cassette tapes.
Theater distribution remains at the top of the distribu tion channel hierarchy (Farley, 1986). Being at the top of the distribution channel hierarchy means that most feature length films are released first through this, the industry's tradi tional, distribution channel.
The second level in the distribution hierarchy is, pre recorded video cassette tape distribution (Waterman, 1984). While the prerecorded video tapes distribution is second in the context of release dates for most full length motion pictures, this distribution channel generates greater revenues for the motion picture producers than does theater distribution (McKenna, 1987).
For distribution through prerecorded video cassette tapes, motion picture producers either sell their products to independent distributors, or form their own distribution com panies for further distribution to home viewers. At present, most distributors, who bid for the distribution rights to pre recorded video cassette tapes are independent of feature length film producers. Once the prerecorded tape is sold by a motion picture producer to a distributor, any control over further any further control over the tape is lost to the producer.
The time span between theater and prerecorded video tape distribution is being continually shortened, as revenues from prerecorded cassette tapes continue to increase. It is not 3surprising, therefore, that, for an increasing proportion of
full length motion pictures, video cassette tape and theater *release dates are the same. P...