Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - (Page 8) NEWS BRIEFS I DVDPLAY TO OPEN KIOSKS IN HAWAII DVD rental kiosk company DVDPlay is expanding to Hawaii, the company announced Nov. 18. The company now has roughly 1,400 kiosks nationwide, and company CEO Chuck Berger said the status of the economy makes DVD rental kiosks an attractive entertainment option for families. “Convenience and price are the main draws,” he said. “A trip to the theater these days costs families a small fortune; we offer movie nights for a fraction of – Chris Tribbey that cost.” www.homemediamagazine.com Hastings Pins Loss on Weak Releases, Economy title releases to last year’s release of Halo 3 contributed By Erik Gruenwedel RETAIL A dearth of major theatrical releases, the Sum- to the decline. Through the first nine months, movie comps are up mer Olympics and the economic meltdown contributed to Hastings Entertainment posting a third-quarter (ended 0.3%, compared to an increase of 7.5% during the same Oct. 31) loss of $3.7 million, compared to income of period the previous year. Music CD comps fell 19.5% (versus 14.8%) as Hast$100,000 during the prior-year period. ings continues an industry-wide trend The Amarillo, Texas-based retail downsizing music shelf space. chain with 153 locations said sameBright spots included electronics, store (open at least 12 months) rental which increased 12.7% (down from comps, which include new and used 30.8% last year), due to strong sales of video games, fell 13.3%, compared to digital converter boxes and third-party a 1.4% decline the prior year. «OBVIOUSLY WE ARE gift cards. Rental revenue topped $18 million, CONCERNED ABOUT THE “In an effort to drive sales without compared to $20 million the prior FOURTH QUARTER IN LIGHT OF the benefit of significant video reyear. THE CURRENT leases, we were highly promotional Rental comps for the first nine ECONOMIC CLIMATE. » during the month of October,” CEO months of the fiscal year edged down JOHN MARMADUKE, John Marmaduke said in a statement. 2.3%. Video game and Blu-ray movie HASTINGS CEO “Obviously we are concerned about rentals partially offset declining DVD the fourth quarter in light of the current economic clirentals, the retailer reported. DVD sales decreased 5%, compared to an increase of mate.” Third quarter revenue totaled $114 million, compared to 7.6% last year. Video game comps fell nearly 15%, com$122 million last year. Total same-store comps declined pared to an increase of 34% last year. The retailer said the lack of comparable video game 6.5%, compared to an increase of 2.8% last year. Sony Debuts New Arm for Acquisitions By Erik Gruenwedel SUPPLIER Sony Pictures Home Entertainment launched a new business unit aimed at procuring foreign content properties for global DVD and electronic distribution. Tony Ishizuka, who will be responsible for identifying projects for financing and distribution, heads the International Product Expansion Group (IPEG) as newly appointed VP. In addition, Maxwell Mattord was named director of IPEG, which as a group reports to T. Paul Miller, SVP, international, at Sony Pictures in Culver City, Calif. Specifically IPEG will leverage Sony Pictures’ global resources and connections with foreign producers to increase the company’s sales and market share in territories outside North America. Initial acquisitions include four anime series featuring Marvel Comics characters. The series are slated to be broadcast on Japan’s Animax TV network, in addition to worldwide distribution through Sony. “The goal is to see each local project recoup its investment in each country in which it was produced or acquired,” Miller said. I CABLE OPERATOR BRIGHT HOUSE ENTERS DVD BIZ Bright House Networks, an Orlando, Fla.-based cable operator with 2.4 million customers, is the latest MSO (multiple cable-system operator) to offer subscribers the Road Runner Video Store from Time Warner. The online service (videostore.rr.com) features new download-to-own movies playable on a PC from $17.99, with classic titles from $9.99 to $13.99. TV programming is available for $1.99 per episode. Movies also can be streamed for $3.99 per title. Road Runner offers more than 3,000 titles from Lionsgate, MGM, Paramount Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video. Pending features include high-definition programming and “DVD Click & Ship,” whereby customers can order DVDs online and have them delivered directly to the home. The DVD link is aimed at expanding business opportunities beyond the set-top box and directly competes against similar services offered by Netflix and Blockbuster, according to Kevin Hyman, EVP of cable operations – Erik Gruenwedel for Bright House. Mexican Billionaire Buys Millions of Circuit City Stock By Erik Gruenwedel RETAIL It may be bankrupt, but No. 2 consumer electronics retailer Circuit City Stores is apparently a shrewd investment to Mexican billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego, who acquired more than 30 million shares of the Richmond, Va.-based chain, becoming its largest shareholder. Pliego, whose Grupo Salinas owns a chain of electronics stores in Latin America and Mexican broadcast channel TV Azteca, among other properties, bought 5.3 million shares Nov. 12 for 22 cents per share (for a total of $1.1 million), 19.8 million shares Nov. 13 for 24 cents ($4.7 million), and 5.2 million shares Nov. 14 for 26 cents ($1.3 million), according to regulatory filings. No explanation for the stock purchases was given. The business tycoon’s total share count tops 47.2 million, or 28% of outstanding common stock. Previous top individual sharehold- er Mark Wattles holds a 6.5% stake in the company. Wattles was instrumental in the resignation of CEO Philip Schoonover, and commandeered the appointment of three handpicked executives to Circuit City’s board, including acting president and CEO James Marcum. Wattles, who owns Colorado-based Ultimate Electronics retail chain, was not immediately available for comment. Circuit City filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Nov. 10. PEOPLE I LIONSGATE PROMOTES RATHAUSER TO SVP Michael Rathauser has been promoted to SVP of marketing for Lionsgate’s home entertainment businesses. He will continue to oversee the strategy, marketing and management for Lionsgate Family Entertainment and Rathauser StudioCanal’s library. “Michael has been a loyal and valuable part of Lionsgate for almost a decade,” said Anne Parducci, – Michael Lee EVP of marketing. I TARGET Q3 DIPS Target has reported lower Q3 (ended Sept. 30) earnings of $369 million, down from $483 million during the same period in 2007, with 2008 Q3 revenue of more than $15.1 billion. Target executives said the company will be aggressive in marking down prices to be competitive during the holidays, including an online “Deal of the Day” that will feature six aggressively marked down items for a 24-hour period. “In toys, electronics and entertainment — three categories which account for roughly a third of our total holiday sales — we are focused on having the right mix of must-have items,” said Kathryn Tesija, EVP of merchandising for Target, specifically mentioning Blu-ray Disc and Apple – Chris Tribbey products. FEATURE FILMS ON DVD RELEASE SHARE BY GROUP Through Nov. 14 there have been 95,842 unique DVD product releases. The count should reach 100,000 during the first quarter of 2009. Of all DVD releases to date, 41.6% have been feature films, which includes foreign language (8,556; 8.9%), TV movies (2,394; 2.5%), theatrical catalog (pre-1997, the launch year of DVD — 13,224; 13.8%), new theatrical (domestic exhibition after Jan. 1, 1997 — 5,001; 5.2%) and non-theatrical feature films (10,657; 11.1%). All of the other DVD product groups account for 56,010 unique titles and represent 58.4% of the product release pie. — Ralph Tribbey I Foreign Language Films 8.9% I All Other 58.4% I TV Movies 2.5% I Theatrical Catalog (pre-1997) 37% I New Theatrical 5.2% I Non-Theatrical 11.1% Since inception, through Nov. 14, 2008 I GALLERY APPOINTS NIKE MARKETING EXECUTIVE Movie Gallery has appointed former Nike marketing executive Cliff Torng to EVP and chief marketing officer. He is responsible for all of Gallery’s corporate marketing operations. He was director of marketing for the Jordan brand at Nike, where he relaunched the 23-year-old – Erik Gruenwedel brand. I RELEASE ACTIVITY FOR DVD Titles in Release Through Week Ended Nov. 14, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total Net DVD Titles Announced and/or In Release Through March 31, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92,805+311 93,304+289 I RELEASE ACTIVITY FOR BLU-RAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . As of Week Ended Nov. 14 Released 916 Scheduled 152 Home Media Magazine November 23–29, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://videostore.rr.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 Contents News High-Def News Electronic Delivery News Commentary Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 (Page Cover1) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 (Page Cover2) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 (Page 1) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 (Page 2) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 (Page 3) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 (Page 4) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Contents (Page 5) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Contents (Page 6) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Contents (Page 7) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - News (Page 8) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - News (Page 9) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 10) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 11) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Electronic Delivery News (Page 12) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Electronic Delivery News (Page 13) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Commentary (Page 14) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Commentary (Page 15) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Reviews (Page 16) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Reviews (Page 17) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 18) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 19) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 20) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 21) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 22) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 23) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 24) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover3) Home Media Magazine - November 23-29, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover4)
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