The following entertainment article was written for Spreety TV Online by professional journalist Carolyn Giardina.

Sony’s Crackle Makes Noise with Online Network

By Carolyn Giardina

Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Crackle online video network recently aired the finale of its latest comedy web series “Held Up.” And as the site continues to extend its content–a combination of movies (currently 250 and counting), TV series and original content–Spreety talked with Eric Berger, Senior Vice President, Digital Networks for Sony Pictures Television.

“Crackle is like a digital version of a cable network, for people who are looking at unplugging or looking for content when TV is not available,” Berger explained as the heart of the Crackle strategy. “We believe we have the best free movie service available online, and we are creating a brand and a programming experience so people can find the movies that they love –but also to provide an editorial context. So it is not just another aggregation service. It is editorialized and has context.”

Crackle primarily targets young males, and currently produces about four original series annually, aimed at this demographic and ranging from action to comedy.

An example is the upcoming original series, “Back Wash,” a buddy comedy set during a road trip, starring Joshua Malina, Michael Ian Black and Michael Panes. Viewers of the series–set to debut on Nov. 15–can expect guest appearances from actors such as Jon Hamm and Sarah Silverman.

“We believe brands will still matter in this space–that people like to be programmed to. They like connections among programming,” Berger said of Crackle’s direction. “Over time it is safe to say that you could see other brands. We have several brands in the TV space that we use to target different demographics (in the international market). Crackle is our first digital network.

“We think there is a very strong role for advertising in the marketplace. If look at services like Netflix and the deals that they have done, we look at that as validation that streaming rights have value.”

As the audience for this content expands, Berger noted that a remaining challenge is to help consumers to reach these destinations. Speaking of services such as Spreety, he said: “We are thrilled that there are companies out that are making it easier for consumers to sift through content on the web and find what they are looking for. There is a real need for that.”

What do you think when you hear the phrase “free movies online“? Is it suspicion of copyright infringement, shadowy looking download sites, or excitement over the tremendous viewing possibilities?

While the checkered past of free movies online has some people cautious, Spreety TV Online at http://Spreety.com has created a video to set the record straight about the right places to watch free movies online.

Some of the new players are Crackle, EPIX, Fancast, and SlashControl. Crackle is backed by Sony Pictures and has hundreds of free movies such as Ghostbusters, Godzilla, and St. Elmo’s Fire. EPIX is the new movie site from Paramount, MGM, and Lionsgate, and is the perfect place to watch Ironman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and many more popular movies. Fancast is backed by the cable giant Comcast and has hundreds more movies, such as Chaplin, Captain America, and Naked Gun 2.5. SlashControl was started by AOL TimeWarner, and has many more movies such as Sparticus, Ronin, and the classic western Hang ‘em High.

Those sites join the other mainstays of free movies, including Hulu, Veoh, and Joost. Even YouTube has jumped on the bandwagon and legally hosts free movies online, such as classic Shirley Temple films like The Little Princess and Heidi.

Several TV sites also have films online, including American Movie Classics (AMC), Syfy, ABC Family, and TNT.

If you have a Netflix subscription, the Watch Instantly feature comes free for the Owner account. Top films to watch online include Wall-E, Bolt, The Nightmare Before Christmas, as well as the extensive list of STARZ play.

So, if you are going to watch a movie on a computer, here are a few quick tips:

1. Turn the screen saver and power save features to longer than the length of the movie.

2. If watching via an inexpensive wireless router, like the ones AT&T U-Verse hands out for free, make certain the router is well ventilated, as extended viewing could cause some minor over-heating, causing the router to reset, thus causing the movie to take an unexpected intermission.

3. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy.

All of the links to the above are available on the “Movies Online” tab of Spreety TV Online at http://Spreety.com .

###

Written by Spreety co-founder, Ron Laughton. Spreety TV Online is a fun and free television guide for the Internet.