Home Media Magazine - September 2-8, 2007 - (Page 3) SEPTEMBER 2–8, 2007 >> E LE C T R O N I C D E LI V E RY INSIDE iTunes Offers Video in U.K. Episodes of “Lost,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Ugly Betty” are among the offerings. CartoonNetwork.com Booms Site posts strong numbers in July, with visitors spending lots of time on the site. Free Vongo Starz and AMD offer free month of service. B R I N G I N G D I G I TA L E N T E R TA I N M E N T TO YO U PAGE 12 Anime Pact: ADV Gets Geneon Titles By Chris Tribbey S U P P L I E R The largest anime DVD distributor in the United States has folded in titles from its nearest rival. Houston-based ADV Films will be the sole distributor of Japan’s Dentsu-owned Geneon Entertainment USA’s products, beginning Oct. 1. ADV Films will handle all sales and distribution of Geneon titles, as well as many marketing functions. There will be no disruption in Geneon’s publishing schedule, the companies said. The deal creates a giant opportunity for domestic anime, said Mike Bailiff, ADV Films See ADV FILMS, Page 44 >> H I G H-D E F Indifference Reigns Warner consumer study says half uninterested in HD discs By Erik Gruenwedel he well-hyped format war between next-generation, opticalmedia formats Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD rated low as a concern on a recent poll of consumers contemplating purchasing high-def packaged media. The study, conducted by Warner FORGET THE FORMAT WAR, INSIDE >> Amazon Faceoff Competing formats offer promotions on the site. >> Sonic and HD DVD Sonic Solutions technology is added to the spec. T Home Video and representing more than 1,000 consumers, found that 48% of respondents were indifferent to buying either Blu-ray or HD DVD movies. Also, 31% cited price as a barrier to entry, and 21% mentioned competing formats as significant challenges. See WARNER, Page 48 >> Blu-ray in Info Age Format is being marketed to business for data storage. PAGE 10 Blockbuster Has Exclusive NBC Disc By Erik Gruenwedel R E TA I L In another sign of Blockbuster Inc.’s Total Access challenge to rival Netflix, beginning Sept. 4 through Oct. 21, Blockbuster will offer the NBC New Fall Preview DVD as a free rental. NBC ran a similar promotion with online movie rental pioneer Netflix last year. The DVD features complete episodes of “Journeyman” new fall series “Chuck,” “Life,” “Journeyman” and a twominute preview of “Bionic Woman.” “Journeyman” is a romantic mystery-drama about a San Francisco reporter (Kevin See BLOCKBUSTER, Page 44 H I G H-D E F MAR KE T S HAR E Blu-ray and HD DVD Sales Comparison as of 8/26/07 Week Ended 8/26 Year-to-Date I Blu-ray I HD DVD Since Inception Paramount Will Discontinue BD Titles in Release By Chris Tribbey f you want to own Mission: Impossible III or Dreamgirls or any other Paramount or DreamWorks title on Blu-ray Disc, you’d better buy it now. But you’ll still be able to rent them for the foreseeable future. Paramount Home Dreamgirls Entertainment has confirmed that existing inventories for the 29 Paramount and four DreamWorks titles already released on Blu-ray won’t be replenished when they sell out at retail. See PARAMOUNT, Page 8 32% 68% 67% 33% 61% 39% I Source: Nielsen VideoScan First Alert data Chinese HD DVD Player Due at $199 By Erik Gruenwedel enturer Electronics, a Canadian-based distributor of Chinesemade consumer electronics, V last week announced it will begin shipping $199 HD DVD players in North America in the fourth quarter. The SHD7000 features 1080i video output, an HDMI connection (to upconvert standard DVD to near HD quality) and Ethernet connecSee CHINESE, Page 48 PRODUCT See what holiday videos are on tap this year, including children’s, classic, Christian, Jewish and alternative titles. RESEARCH Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment’s Wild Hogs coasted to another victory on the sales and rental charts for the week. PRODUCT Fox reveals details about two hot new Blu-ray Disc titles, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Live Free or Die Hard. Page 18 Page 40 Page 46 http://CartoonNetwork.com
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