Home Media Magazine - March 23-29, 2008 - (Page 3)

MARCH 23–29, 2008 >> ELECTRO N IC DELIVERY BRINGING DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT TO YOU OF THE BOXES By Chris Tribbey ech-savvy movie fans, bloggers and some industry experts believe the high-definition format war was moot: Digital downloading is the future. But this idea’s been around for a while. After all, cable and video-ondemand didn’t do away with DVD. “People are collectors,” said Adam Gregorich with the Home Theater Forum. “They want to own the disc, not the bits on a hard drive, and not just for 24 hours.” Bandwidth issues in American homes, licensing issues between content owners and content distributors, ownership issues with consumers and the quality of a Battle In the move to connect to the TV, many are available, but no one is dominant INSIDE >> P2P Fights to Make Profit Execs talk bandwidth and money. >> HIGH-DEF PS3 to Get Blu-ray 2.0 By Chris Tribbey he PlayStation 3, which helped Bluray Disc win the high-def format war, will soon be able to download new material for Blu-ray movies. Sony Corp. said that a firmware update due later this month for the gaming system will add BD 2.0, also known as BD Live, making the Blu-ray player with the highest household penetration capable of playing the special features offered on every Blu-ray Disc from the studios. BD 2.0 requires 1GB of storage space. “With Blu-ray established as the high-definition, optical-disc standard, more consumers are ready to jump in and take advantage of everything the format offers,” said Scott A. Steinberg, VP of product marketing for Sony Computer T T Entertainment America (SCEA). “Whether you want to download movie extras, send ringtones to your phone, or play interactive games, BD Live will offer exciting new ways to enjoy a Blu-ray movie. “With these regular firmware updates and future-proofed technology, See PLAYSTATION 3, Page 27 INSIDE >> Slow to Rise NPD says Bluray interest is gaining slowly. >> Making Amends? Best Buy offers coupons for those who bought HD DVD players. PAGE 12 download are all getting in the way of digital downloading. “Not a consumer interviewed wants to buy another set-top box,” said Richard Doherty, research director for research firm The Envisioneering Group. Richard Bullwinkle, chief evangelist for Macrovision, predicts a layering effect. Macrovision has looked at TiVo, Xbox 360, Vudu and Apple TV. “The best experience on a large TV is Blu-ray,” he said. “None of the download boxes gives you the same experience.” Many industry experts agree that the No. 1 problem with movie downloads is getting those pictures to the TV. See BOXES, Page 28 >> TiVo Links Web to TV Users get access to select online content. PAGE 14 GAMESTOP HAS HUGE Q4 By Chris Tribbey THE BIG PICTURE L eading U.S. video game retailer GameStop enjoyed a giant fourth quarter (ended Feb. 2), with profits of just less than $190 million, a 46% bump in earnings over the same period in 2007. For the year, the company earned $288 million. The popularity of Nintendo’s Wii, more console choices and more female gamers all helped the 5,200-store chain’s performance. GameStop CEO R. Richard Fontaine also singled See GAMESTOP, Page 27 Book Stores a Stable Part of Home Entertainment Biz By Billy Gil he home entertainment industry was down in 2007, but industry sources say book stores may be a segment of the industry that still finds ways to be profitable, catering to a focused demographic. While the numbers for 2007 aren’t yet in, data from Adams Media Research showed that in 2006, total video consumer spending T C H IG H-DE F MAR KET S HAR E Blu-ray and HD DVD Sales Comparison as of 3/16/08 Week Ended 3/16 Year-to-Date I Blu-ray I HD DVD at book stores was $453 million, up from $416 million in 2005 and $439 million in 2004. Book stores represented 2.8% of the total video market in 2006, compared to 2.5% in 2005 and 2.6% in 2004. Suppliers small and large pointed to the enduring importance of book stores in the home video market, citing the narrowing See BOOK STORES, Page 28 Since Inception BORDERS MAY SEEK SALE By Erik Gruenwedel DVD, ONLINE BOOST BARNES By Erik Gruenwedel 22% 78% 76% 24% 66% 34% Source: Nielsen VideoScan: First Alert data iting a tough retail and credit climate, Borders Group received a $125 million financing commitment from its largest shareholder as it considered multiple strategic options, including the sale of the company. The news sent shares of the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based parent of Borders Superstores and Walden Books, freefalling nearly 30% to $5 per share in after-hours See BORDERS, Page 27 D VD movie tie-ins helped specialty bookseller Barnes & Noble Inc. post fourth-quarter (ended Feb. 2) profit of $115 million, down less than 9% from nearly $127 million during the same period last year. The results contrasted with rival Borders Group Inc., which received emergency funding from its largest investor and said it might put itself up for sale. See DVD, Page 27 NEWS Genius Products reports a fourthquarter loss of $12.2 million, in part due to the loss of an unnamed retail partner. PRODUCT Lionsgate is launching arthouse label The Meridian Collection June 3 with the releases of Diva and The Red Violin. RESEARCH The charts are abuzz with Bee Movie as the Paramount/DreamWorks title topped sales, while Disney’s No Country for Old Men took rentals. Page 10 Page 22 Page 24

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Home Media Magazine - March 23-29, 2008 Contents News TV DVD Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced

Home Media Magazine - March 23-29, 2008

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