Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - (Page 10) ELECTRONIC DELIVERY www.homemediamagazine.com By Erik Gruenwedel arner Bros. Dec. 5 bowed The Dark Knight on videoon-demand in South Korea two weeks before the slated DVD launch and four days prior to its U.S. release. It marks the studio’s first major pre-DVD release on VOD. The Dark Knight is considered home entertainment’s most coveted fourth-quarter release after the film dominated the summer box office, generating about $530 million in ticket sales in the United States alone. Warner Home Video, which will switch distribution of DVDs in South Korea to local vendors at the end of ‘Dark Knight’ Comes Blockbuster, Microsoft to Deliver Mobile Content Early to S. Korea on VOD B through United Entertainment Korea Co. Ltd. Warner Home Video International (See story, page 10.) and marketing agency PPC InteracThe Korean Film tive have launched a social media Council reported that Web site to promote the film. The the average South Kosite www.my-darkknight.com offers rean downloads 54 movBatman-related tools users can use to ies a year from file-shardecorate social networking profiles. ing Web sites, resulting in about $16 million in lost the month, recently announced it DVD revenue. will bow new titles there on VOD two weeks prior to DVD in an effort to BRIEFS circumvent rampant piracy and take advantage of the country’s advanced digital infrastructure. I SLING MEDIA LAUNCHES I REPORT: VOD GROWING Sony Pictures Home Entertainment STREAMING SITE Cable and satellite operators are inlast week said it will distribute DVDs Sling Media rolled out a beta version of creasing their investment in VOD and W I ‘Dark Knight’ Online By Erik Gruenwedel lockbuster and Microsoft are reportedly working on delivering movies and TV shows to third-party portable media devices. Blockbuster is attempting to incorporate Microsoft’s Live Mesh software, enabling consumers to download content from Blockbuster kiosks onto portable devices, according to the Dallas Morning News. Live Mesh is used to facilitate communication and share data between Microsoft programs and computers. Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes has made no secret of his desire to offer content across multiple distribution channels, including 5,000 Blockbuster locations. In previous financial calls, Keyes said he (thanks to being CEO) is able to download movies onto a prototype SD card that can be played on his Blackberry. While much of this remains a work in progress, Blockbuster remains upbeat on possibilities such as offering consumers movie downloads at airports. DIGITAL COPY BY CATEGORY Title Release Category New Theatrical (1997-Current) Direct-to-video Features Theatrical Catalog (pre-1997) Foreign Language TV Series (single-disc) Total Total* 88 14 11 1 1 115 NETFLIX TO STREAM HD CONTENT By Erik Gruenwedel N etflix later this month will quietly offer high-definition streamed content to consumers of Profile 2.0 Blu-ray players from LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics, in addition to the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the proprietary set-top box from Roku. The free enhancement will be available to Netflix subscribers through a firmware upgrade. Although Netflix offers more than 12,000 titles for streaming, HD selections will be limited to about 300, largely TV shows and documentaries available in 720p resolution and standard-definition audio only, according to spokesperson Steven Swasey. Content includes seasons of “Heroes,” “30 Rock,” “The Office,” and “CSI” shows. Movies and docs include The Thing, Three Weeks and Two Days, The Devil Came on Horseback (about genocide in Darfur, Sudan), Colour Me Kubrick, Saint of 9/11 and Running with Arnold (about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s gubernatorial campaign), among other eclectic fare. “The HD offering on our streaming functionality is decidedly underwhelming,” Swasey said. “We’re not making a big push on this. It is more of a stake in the ground for future development.” its own video-streaming site, Sling.com, according to The Associated Press. A new feature lets Slingbox owners watch live TV online. Sling Media also said it plans to keep adding content partners, which now include Hulu, CBS, and comedy and news Web sites. – Michael Lee time shifting through DVRs to acquire and retain new customers, according to a new report. ABI Research said carriers have begun incorporating software that allow consumers to “catch up TV” and “pause live TV,” in addition to network personal video recording devices. – Erik Gruenwedel DIGITAL COPY BY STUDIO Studio Fox Sony Pictures Warner Universal Lionsgate Paramount/DreamWorks Peace Arch Disney Prairie Dog Productions Total Total* 38 37 15 8 6 5 3 2 1 115 I MYSPACE VIDEO GOES MOBILE MySpace users will now be able to stream video from the social networking site on their mobile phones. Videos uploaded by users, or marked as their favorite videos, will be available as well as videos from MySpace channels, including TMZ, The Onion and more. – Chris Tribbey I REPORT: VOD COMPETES WITH NEXT-GEN CONSOLES Set-top boxes are getting competition from Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, which are growing their video libraries fast, according to The Diffusion Group. Of the 190 million households expected to own one console or the other by 2012, 80% of those will be connected to the Internet. – Chris Tribbey * Includes both titles released and announced for delivery by 3/31/09 Source: The DVD Release Report TOP 5 RANK TITLE E LE C T R O NI C SELLT H R OUG H Week ended November 30, 2008 RELEASE DATE VIDEO LABEL GENRE TOP 5 RANK TITLE E L E C TRO N I C S E L L THRO U GH Week ended November 30, 2008 RELEASE DATE VIDEO LABEL GENRE 1 2 3 4 5 Hancock: Unrated Hellboy II: The Golden Army Hancock Girl, Interrupted Dexter: Season 1 - Episode 12 11/25/08 11/11/08 11/25/08 6/6/00 8/21/07 Sony Pictures Universal Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Showtime Action Fantasy Action Drama Thriller Source: Movielink 1 2 3 4 5 Journey to the Center of the Earth Sex and the City: The Movie Hancock Fred Claus 10/28/08 9/23/08 11/25/08 11/25/08 Warner Warner Sony Pictures Warner Warner Adventure Comedy Action Comedy Comedy Source: CinemaNow Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay 7/29/08 TOP 5 RANK TITLE E LE CT R O NIC D OW NLOAD S Week ended November 30, 2008 RELEASE DATE VIDEO LABEL GENRE TOP 5 RANK TITLE E L E C TRO N I C DO WN L O A DS Week ended November 30, 2008 RELEASE DATE VIDEO LABEL GENRE 1 2 3 4 5 Get Smart Iron Man You Don’t Mess With the Zohan The Incredible Hulk Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the … 11/4/08 9/30/08 10/7/08 10/21/08 10/14/08 Warner Paramount Sony Pictures Universal Paramount Comedy Action Comedy Action Adventure Source: Movielink 1 2 3 4 5 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the … Journey to the Center of the Earth Deception Forgetting Sarah Marshall The Incredible Hulk 11/26/08 10/28/08 9/23/08 11/13/08 11/19/08 Paramount Warner Fox Universal Universal Adventure Adventure Thriller Comedy Action Source: CinemaNow 10 Home Media Magazine December 7–13, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.my-darkknight.com http://www.Sling.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 Contents News News High-Def News Electronic Delivery News TV DVD Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 (Page Cover1) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 (Page Cover2) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 (Page 1) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 (Page 2) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Contents (Page 3) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Contents (Page 4) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - News (Page 5) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - News (Page 6) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - News (Page 7) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 8) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 9) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Electronic Delivery News (Page 10) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Electronic Delivery News (Page 11) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - TV DVD (Page 12) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - TV DVD (Page 13) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Reviews (Page 14) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Reviews (Page 15) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Reviews (Page 16) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Reviews (Page 17) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Reviews (Page 18) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Reviews (Page 19) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 20) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 21) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 22) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 23) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 24) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 25) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 26) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 27) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 28) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover3) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover4)
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.