The aftermath of the "aggressive" Starz Cinema board meeting; two execs are still unaccounted for

I have to be honest: The TV at Reeler HQ is rarely tuned to anything but baseball, when it is on at all. But that could conceivably change now that Starz is ripping out its brakes in the race to become the world's leading marginal indie-only cable network.

Not Starz specifically, mind you, but Starz Cinema—the premium channel's subsidiary that specializes in independent and art-house fare. Variety reports that starting next month, Starz Cinema will begin broadcasting two "TV world premieres" each month. This move supposedly represents "the most aggressive movie-scheduling strategy ever undertaken" at the network.

And believe me—I have seen their fights, and those boutique cable programmers get pretty fucking aggressive. You may remember IFC exec Evan Shapiro gouging eyes last month with his "niche is bullshit" posturing, and now Starz Cinema VP Jonathan Shair is swinging away at the competition:

Shair said Starz Cinema will get these movies within a year of their theatrical release for an exclusive 15-month window. The distributor will then have up to five years to find buyers in the basic-cable window, led by Sundance Channel and IFC. Following basic cable, Starz Cinema gets the pictures back for a second exclusive pay window for a one-year license term.

"Starz Cinema is dedicated to independent film," said Shair.

Oh, snap! It is on! Anyhow, Shair and his posse have locked up The Motorcycle Diaries, Vera Drake, Kung Fu Hustle and The Sea Inside, among other high-profile indie titles over which IFC and Sundance will vie for the privilege of sloppy seconds. But really, what is cooler: two premieres per month or watching Henry Rollins' poetic, probing commentaries? Do not ask me—I am watching the pennant race.