Microsoft has revealed that it sees exclusive content as crucial to its Zune music player's future, and has turned to Hollywood to supply the material.
The Zune has been a middling success for Microsoft despite widespread mirth at the Redmond company's move into music hardware.
And despite the second generation of the player winning good reviews, Microsoft's failure to gain real traction on rival Apple's most dominant area had led to rumours that the Zune has had its day.
Content is king
But Zune's director of entertainment development insists that this is not the case, and that content is, as they say, king.
"What we would be looking to do with any form of original content is the added component that Zune could provide that iTunes or any competing service couldn't," Winn said.
"The thing we've all been looking for is, 'What can we do that is a little more interesting than just looking at a piece of video?'"
The Halo effect
Winn cited the impact that Halo had on the success of the original Xbox, and the search is on for the content that can lift the Zune to a new level.
Reuters revealed that Microsoft representatives have been in talks with talent agencies and production companies for months in their attempts to licence material.
If Microsoft wants to licence some tap-dancing journalists (for a fee) then they know where to find us.
