Home Media Magazine - September 2-8, 2007 - (Page 14) COMMENTARY www.homemediamagazine.com THE BUZZ BY CHRIS TRIBBEY, SENIOR REPORTER Petitions and Blogtalk Won’t Halt the Format War cott Hettrick, whose HollywoodInHiDef.com blog is a must-read for Blu-ray Disc fanatics, started a petition at www.petitionspot.com. In early August, he asked consumers to boycott NBC/Universal for “choosing to stay exclusive to the listless HD DVD in the high-def DVD format war.” He also promised to ship back all his Universal DVDs in protest. At first I thought this would make for a fun story. Then I saw that Hettrick’s online petition was one of many regarding the format war, going back nearly two years. There’s one asking for general studio support for HD DVD. There’s another asking HD DVD supporters to switch to Blu-ray. One asking Lionsgate to support HD DVD has a whopping 25 signatures. One begging Paramount to change its mind about Blu-ray has 40. All the tallies for these petitions are sad in comparison to oth- S ONLINE PETITIONS ARE SILLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE HIGH-DEF FORMAT WAR. EVEN IF STUDIO EXECUTIVES DID BOTHER TO READ THEM, THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW THE CONSUMER’S DOLLAR SPEAKS. ers dealing with politics, world issues or even other media. A poorly worded petition asking Capcom to release a Resident Evil game for PlayStation Portable beats them all combined with nearly 24,000 signatures. Online petitions are silly when it comes to the highdef format war. Even if studio executives did bother to read them, they want to know how the consumer’s dollar speaks. You could have 50,000 signatures against one format or the other, but all that matters is household player penetration and sellthrough figures. How does the saying go? “Money talks …” As for Hettrick and his boycott Universal petition? He abandoned it the day Paramount and DreamWorks ditched Blu-ray, writing that “this petition has been rendered pointless.” His petition managed 254 signatures (no word on whether Hettrick’s box of DVDs arrived in Universal City yet). Hey, at least Hettrick tried to start something, whether you agree or not. And he garnered more John Hancocks than the “End the Format War between Blu-ray and HD DVD” petition launched right after his. As of Aug. 29, the chances for the format war ending any time soon are exactly equal to the number of signatures on that wishful appeal: Zero. Chris Tribbey’s e-mail address is ctribbey@questex.com GUEST COMMENTARY O N LI N E PO LL R E S U LTS Results for last week’s question: * Home Theater Forum’s Epstein Says Sites Can’t Decide HD War I Question Which sport translates best into home entertainment product? S ince the introduction of the HD DVD and Blu- will greatly influence shopper wallets. ray Disc formats more than a year ago, Home We also look forward to what the Blu-ray camp has Theater Forum took the immediate position in store for the holiday season, including hopefully that we would remain neutral in this format war. making their format equally as appealing on an Recently, Paramount and DreamWorks made an an- affordability level. nouncement that they were going to support HD DVD I have sat and watched people argue to no end about exclusively. It is obvious to us that we made a very what format they feel is superior. I have seen people smart decision to remain attend format panel events neutral, as this news greatly WHO ARE WE TO TELL ANY OF YOU WHICH only to go on the Internet reinforces the position we FORMAT IS THE BETTER ONE? HOW CAN and skew the facts of what made months ago: There is was said, all in the name of ANYONE TAKE A STAND WITH ONE currently no clear winner to PARTICULAR FORMAT RIGHT NOW? NOBODY bolstering support for their this format war. format of choice. HAS THE RIGHT TO TELL YOU THAT YOU There are several Web sites Constant bickering was MUST SUPPORT ONE FORMAT OVER THE out there that raced to pick a the reason why one Home OTHER. winner months ago based on Theater discussion forum speculation and self-interest. Though we greatly re- closed its doors recently. While some healthy debate spect many of the individuals who run such sites, we is fine, a lot of people on both sides are turning peodidn’t race to pick a side because, from the start, we ple away by posting criticism that is void of, or misknew that this war was not even close to being won. represents, the facts and is meant only to hurt the opWe knew that both formats equally offered their own position. Do any of you actually think these childish particular benefits for consumers. attacks on either format are helping the situation? A We also knew that it would be foolish to attempt to lot of people seem to have forgotten that home theater make a decision for consumers as to which format is all about enjoying a good movie regardless of which they should choose. Who are we to tell any of you format it is on. which format is the better one? How can anyone take In the end, the winner of this format war will not be a stand with one particular format right now? Nobody decided by any of us. It will be decided by the conhas the right to tell you that you must support one for- sumer. mat over the other. All of you have already made or Let’s all try to funnel our energy into making the Inwill soon make intelligent choices based upon your ternet a place where those consumers can come for individual needs. factual information instead of constant name-calling. Obviously, this decision by Paramount and Dream- When you come to Home Theater Forum, you should Works absolutely proves that anything still can hap- expect nothing less. pen in this format war and that a winner is not as clear cut as some may have painted it to be. We predict by Ronald Epstein the holiday season, HD DVD players will break the Home Theater Forum $200 mark, which along with added studio support http://www.hometheaterforum.com I Answers A: Baseball 16% B: Football 45% C: Basketball 11% D: Hockey 9% E: Soccer 20% Go to www.homemediamagazine.com and vote on this week’s question. * Results based on Web site respondents We Want to Hear From You! Please send letters to: Editor, Home Media Magazine 201 East Sandpointe Ave., Suite 500 Santa Ana, CA 92707 E-mail: HomeMediaMagazine@questex.com Fax: 714.338.6712 Include name, business address (city and state) and telephone number. Letters are subject to editing. Join Us Online: www.homemediamagazine.com Visit our Web site to participate in discussion boards and weekly polls on the latest industry issues. 14 Home Media Magazine September 2–8, 2007 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://HollywoodInHiDef.com http://www.petitionspot.com http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.hometheaterforum.com
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