Home Media Magazine - February 10-16, 2008 - (Page 3) FEBRUARY 10–16, 2008 >> ELECTRO N IC DELIVERY Comcast Expands Same-Day VOD, DVD Releases By Erik Gruenwedel omcast Corp. is expanding its slate of new movies available on demand (VOD) the same day as the DVD release. The rollout is part of the Philadelphia-based cable operator’s previously announced Project Infinity, which aims to expedite delivery of top Hollywood movies, network C BRINGING DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT TO YOU and cable TV series in high-definition to its 24.2 million subscribers. A company spokesperson said the new VOD releases were separate from ongoing VOD and DVD tests with studios and other cable operators in Pittsburgh and Denver. She said the announcement demonstrated the growth of VOD, See COMCAST, Page 32 INSIDE >> Apple TV Rentals Lag Movie rentals are now set to debut at the end of the month. PAGE 12 >> HIGH-DEF 5th Quarter: Coming Out Party for Blu-ray Discs INSIDE >> HD VMD Makes Moves The HD format seeks consumers. >> The World Goes Flat Sales of flat panels will soar. PAGE 10 Warner Celebrates 85 Years By Thomas K. Arnold PRODUCT The Warner Bros. studio celebrates its 85th birthday this year with a major home entertainment catalog campaign that will be highlighted by the DVD debuts of more than 50 restored classics and the release of a new five-hour documentary about the studio narrated by Clint Eastwood. By Erik Gruenwedel lu-ray Disc is readying for its close-up in the so-called “fifth quarter,” when studios traditionally up new releases designed to overcome the winter holiday logjam and take advantage of consumer gift cards. The National Retail Federation reported that gift card purchases topped $26 billion in 2007, up 6% from 2006. Through the first two weeks of 2008, more than 60% of those cards had not been used. Following Warner Bros.’ decision to exclusively release high-def packaged media on Blu-ray after May 31, all major studios supporting the format said they will ramp up marketing and distribution efforts in the first months of the year. Lionsgate said it will spend $20 million on theatrical TV spots that include marketing the Blu-ray releases of War, 3:10 to Yuma, Good Luck Chuck, Saw IV and crime thriller Trade. The Santa Monica, Calif.-based minimajor reportedly hopes to sell 50% of each title’s standard DVD and Blu-ray disc shipments in the first six days of release. “Thus far, the results speak for themSee Q5, Page 32 B The year-long campaign begins this quarter with Warner Home Video’s release of two collections: Oscar winners and gangster films. The gangster-film slate includes an Ultimate Collector’s Edition of Bonnie and Clyde, a branded marquee positioned as the Cadillac of Warner special editions. It’s due March 25. In subsequent quarters, Warner will release seven more themed collections. Coming in the second quarter are Frank Sinatra and “Dirty Harry” collections. In the third quarter, the studio will release sets of superhero films, musicals and Westerns, the latter including a special edition of How the West Was Won. And in See WARNER, Page 32 IMAGE ENDS BTP MERGER AND DEMANDS $4.2M By Erik Gruenwedel Redbox Kiosks Expand To Majority of Wal-Marts By Chris Tribbey RETAIL Redbox has pulled a DVD rental coup, announcing its rental kiosks will be installed in nearly all of Wal-Mart’s 3,500 U.S. stores. The announcement came during Coinstar Inc.’s fourth-quarter (ended Dec. 31) and full-year financial results. Coinstar along with McDonald’s and private investors owns Redbox. Coinstar’s agreement with Wal-Mart will place both Redbox rental kiosks and coin-counting machines in a majority of Wal-Mart stores, while removing kid rides, crane games and other entertainment machines. Coinstar announced a net loss of $37.2 million during the fourth See REDBOX, Page 30 H IG H-DE F MAR KET S HAR E Blu-ray and HD DVD Sales Comparison as of 2/3/08 Week Ended 2/3 Year-to-Date I Blu-ray I HD DVD Since Inception 26% 74% 76% 24% 65% 35% Source: Nielsen VideoScan First Alert data Image Entertainment last week terminated its increasingly acrimonious merger agreement with BTP Acquisition Company and demanded “prompt payment” of a $4.2 million business interruption fee, according to a regulatory filing. The deal, which originated last March, ran into a wall Jan. 23 when BTP — headed by film financier David Bergstein — issued a default notice to Image claiming the Chatsworth, Calif.-based DVD distributor had failed to satisfy various closing conditions, including obtaining approval from its current lender to help facilitate $60 million in cash toward the transaction. Image, in turn, filed a notice of anticipatory breach claiming BTP did not intend to complete the $130 million merger. The transaction was slated to close Feb. 1 and then extended for a fifth time by Image to Feb. 5. See IMAGE, Page 30 SUPPLIER NEWS News Corp., Disney and Time Warner all reported quarterly financials with differing filmed entertainment results. RESEARCH The Game Plan stayed the same this week — the Disney title sat atop the DVD sales and rental charts for the second week in a row. PRODUCT Lionsgate will release on DVD Bella, a touted independent film with appeal to both Latino and faith-based audiences. Page 6 Page 26 Page 30
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