Home Media Magazine - May 18-24, 2008 - (Page 5)

www.homemediamagazine.com MENU FROM THE EDITOR BY THOMAS K. ARNOLD, PUBLISHER www.homemediamagazine.com Media Skimming the Surface on Blu-ray PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Thomas K. Arnold EDITOR IN CHIEF Stephanie Prange EDITORIAL Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Angelique Flores Senior Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erik Gruenwedel Senior Reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Tribbey Assistant Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Latchem Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Billy Gil, Kyra Kudick Contributors. . . . . . . . . John Gaudiosi, Anne Sherber, Fred Topel, Ralph Tribbey, Holly J. Wagner Intern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ruby Cardenas R ART Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melbert Sebayan Graphic Designer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles Park RESEARCH Market Research Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Burner ADVERTISING 800/338-6700, FAX 714/338-6712 Advertising Sales Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . John Boezinger 714/338-6704 Advertising Sales Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julie Savant 714/368-1020 Advertising Sales Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kurt Wohlman 714/338-6749 Business Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joni Wu Group Administrative Coordinator. . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Guerena For reprints, call 800-290-5460, ext. 100 or HomeMediaMagazine@reprintbuyer. com For direct-mail lists, call Ilene Schwartz, Kroll Direct, 216/371-1667 FAX 216/371-1669 ilene@krolldirect.com ush Limbaugh and his fellow conservative talk-show appeared to be a negative press release. More recently, another NPD Group study found Blu-ray Disc hosts have long accused the media of having a liberal bias, and frequently fault what they call the “drive-by player sales have slowed to a trickle. Again, the media jumped on media” for being too quick to report the so-called news without this to reinforce what they’ve already been saying, all along, that properly investigating what is being put out there by liberal Blu-ray player prices are still way too high for mass adoption, particularly since to the average consumer, the difference between politicians and analysts. I’m not sure how accurate these accusations of an anti- standard DVD and Blu-ray Disc isn’t all that pronounced. But again, once you got beneath the surred-state bias are, but I’m beginning to think face of the NPD report and actually talked that the media does have a certain amount of THE FIRST QUARTER IS A anti-blue — or, rather, anti-Blu — bias when TRADITIONALLY LOW POINT to consumer electronics company executives it comes to reporting home entertainment FOR CE HARDWARE SALES for their take, another picture emerges: The news. — THE STUDY EVEN SHOWED first quarter is traditionally a low point for CE Two months ago The NPD Group released a A SIGNIFICANT DIP IN STAN- hardware sales — the study even showed a study that found global awareness of Blu-ray DARD-DVD PLAYER SALES significant dip in standard-DVD player sales — and the slowdown in Blu-ray player sales is Disc is weak. The press release was picked up by numerous media outlets as further evidence that Blu-ray due in large part to a shortage of new players, since everyone’s Disc is facing a long, uphill battle as it seeks to replace standard gearing up for BD Live-capable machines and those won’t begin DVD. I received the same report but after digesting it thor- rolling out until the summer. Among major consumer media oughly came up with a different interpretation: In the United outlets, only The Los Angeles Times properly reported the story, States, which for our purposes is the key metric for home en- according to one top executive with a leading CE manufacturer. tertainment trends, 60% of those surveyed were, indeed, aware “No one else even bothered to call,” he told me. If there is an anti-Blu bias among the mainstream media, it’s of what a Blu-ray Disc is. I focused on that statistic in my story, and thus put a legitimately positive spin on what on the surface See EDITORIAL, Page 22 MARKETING Marketing Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristina Kronenberg 714/338-6743 Marketing Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kaitlyn DeWaard IN THIS ISSUE MAY 18-24, 2008 / VOL. 30 / NO. 20 News …………………………… CALENDAR I DISPLAY WEEK 2008 Now in its 46th year, the international event gathers scientists, engineers, manufacturers and users in the electronic-display industry. May 18-23 Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles info: www.sid2008.org DIGITAL MEDIA Online Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Renee Rosado PRODUCTION Production Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bonnie Ling Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justin-Nicholas Toyama 714/338-6765 Assistant Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brady Gallardo 6 9 >> HIGH- DEF Circuit City opens up to a proposed acquisition by Blockbuster; Genius matches bigger revenue with a wider loss; ESCA to feature a supply chain study. OFFICES 714/338-6700, 800/371-6897, FAX 714/338-6710 homemediamagazine@questex.com 201 East Sandpointe Ave., Suite 500 Santa Ana, CA 92707-8716 News …………………………… Panasonic DMP-BD50 Chris Tribbey, Senior Reporter 818-788-8616, FAX 818-530-2486 16130 Ventura Blvd. #570 Encino, CA 91436 PorchLight starts an independent film line, Ocean Park; Warner signs a rev-share deal that would force rentailers to destroy used copies. News ………………………… CREDIT Credit/Collections Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ron Wright Sr. TV DVD ………………………… 12 Shout! Factory goes to air with a 10th anniversary complete series set of “Sports Night,” as well as DVDs from the “Dinosaur King” series. According to a new poll, only 9% of respondents planned on buying a BD player in the next year; Panasonic shows off its new Blu-ray players. I TRANSFORMATIONS: THE SEVENTH ANNUAL HOME ENTERTAINMENT SUMMIT The home entertainment industry’s most prestigious annual gathering of studio executives, analysts and other industry leaders. This year’s conference comes just as the format war has ended, setting the stage for a transition from standard DVD to Blu-ray Disc. June 16-17 Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, Century City, Calif. info: www.homemediaconferences.com CIRCULATION For subscriptions, please go online to www.homemediamagazine.com For current single copy, back issues or CD-ROM, call 866/344-1315 or 847/763-9594 for outside the U.S. Audience Development Manager. . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Joy Obaña >> EL ECTRONIC D EL IV ERY BUSINESS QUESTEX MEDIA GROUP INC. President & CEO: Kerry C. Gumas; Executive Vice President & CFO: Tom Caridi; Executive Vice President: Robert S. Ingraham; Executive Vice President: Tony D’Avino; Executive Vice President, Corporate Development: Claudia Flowers; Vice President & General Manager: Don Rosenberg; Vice President, Digital Media: Seth Nichols; Vice President, Human Resources: Diane Evans © 2008 Questex Media Group Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including by photocopy, recording or information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by Questex Media Group, Inc. for libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923 phone: 978-750-8400 fax 978-750-4470; call for copying beyond that permitted by Sections 107 or 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law. For those not registered with the CCC, send permission request in writing to questexpermissions@reprintbuyer.com or call 800-494-9051 ext. 100. Mr. & Mrs. Smith I EMA’S HOME MEDIA EXPO 2008 The Home Media Expo gathers players from all over the home entertainment field, such as buyers, entertainment retailers, suppliers, distributors and sellers of home entertainment content. June 24-28 The Palms Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas info: www.homemediaexpo.com News ………………………… The MPAA sues illegal file-sharers of such films as Fox’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith; a conference centers on digital copyright law; Web video is up. National Treasure: Book of Secrets Reviews ………………………… 14 Research ……………………… 18 Should adventure fans seek out National Treasure: Consumers are enamored with Warner’s P.S. I Book of Secrets? Does The Lather Effect offer more Love You, which topped both the national DVD than an ’80s movie hangover? Is Cassandra’s Dream sales and rental charts. a memorable vision from Woody Allen? Printed in the U.S.A. I SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL 2008 The San Diego Comic-Con enters its 39th year as the country’s premier comics and popular arts convention with a brand new slate of special guests, themes and anniversaries, and programming. July 24-27 San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, Calif. info: comic-con.org Pipeline ………………………… 17 Top 20 DVD Sellers ……………………… 18 Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts ……… 19 Fox takes over Vegas to promote the DVD and Bluray release of Meet the Spartans; MagicPlay muscles Just Announced ……………… up with fitness DVDs. Genius bangs out The Hammer. May 18–24, 2008 Home Media Magazine http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.sid2008.org http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.homemediaconferences.com http://www.homemediaexpo.com http://comic-con.org

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Home Media Magazine - May 18-24, 2008 Contents News TV DVD Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced

Home Media Magazine - May 18-24, 2008

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