Home Media Magazine - May 25 - 31, 2008 - (Page 5)

www.homemediamagazine.com MENU FROM THE EDITOR BY STEPHANIE PRANGE, EDITOR IN CHIEF www.homemediamagazine.com Rental Biz Pins Hopes on Dynamic Duo 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 I 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 t’s not very often the industry experiences the kind of up- at Albertsons, faces a somewhat bigger challenge as the chain heaval we’ve seen recently in the top two brick-and-mortar exits bankruptcy. Gallery has been in more than just financial rental chains. In the past year, we’ve seen new CEOs ap- trouble; it has had trouble changing with the times. In addition pointed at both No. 1 chain Blockbuster Inc. and (just last week) to biting off more than it could chew with the acquisition of Movie Gallery. Both CEOs have a solid foundation in brick-and Hollywood Entertainment Corp. in 2005, Gallery clung to the old in-store rental model. The chain made tentative moves into mortar retail, one at 7 Eleven, another at Albertsons. Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes, in place for less than a year, came video-on-demand with the acquisition of MovieBeam (which it recently put up for sale) and into kiosk rentfrom 7 Eleven and has been able to turn around the chain, according to recent financials. The HARD TIMES HAVE BROUGHT als. But management seemed too preoccupied company reported first-quarter (ended April 6) NEW BLOOD TO THE EXECU- with whether or not the next quarter’s slate of profit of $45.4 million, compared to a loss of TIVE SUITES OF THE TWO TOP titles would pull them out of a slump to look $49 million during the same period last year. BRICK-AND-MORTAR RENTAL ahead. They were thinking short-term, under Keyes came into the business at a rather CHAINS. THEIR JOBS REQUIRE pressure from a giant debt load. Hard times have brought new blood to the auspicious point. Movie Gallery had just de- MORE VISION THAN MANY. executive suites of the two top brick-and-morclared bankruptcy and was closing stores. Also, the time seemed to have come for the kind of all-access tar rental chains. Their jobs require more vision than many top entertainment emporium he proposed, which ironically was posts, and likely will offer less compensation than many. The similar to what former Blockbuster CEO Bill Fields tried to do onslaught of digital delivery, online rental/streaming pioneer in the 1990s. Keyes is looking into offering downloads to port- Netflix and cable are difficult to navigate. Tough economic able devices in the stores as well as expanding games. Retailer times present even more challenges. Perhaps the dynamic new duo can pull off a comeback. Hastings recent success with a broad slate of entertainment (see story page 8) seems to support his vision. At No. 2 Movie Gallery, C.J. Gabriel Jr. (Gabe), formerly EVP Stephanie Prange’s e-mail address is sprange@questex.com MARKETING Marketing Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristina Kronenberg 714/338-6743 Marketing Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kaitlyn DeWaard IN THIS ISSUE MAY 25-31 / VOL. 30 / NO. 21 News …………………………… CALENDAR I SIXTH ANNUAL WINE & WISDOM The annual Entertainment AIDS Alliance (EAA) event benefits the UCLA AIDS Institute’s CARE Center. Admission is $25, due by June 6. June 12 Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles info: www.entertainmentaidsalliance.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 >> HIGH- DEF Hastings posts increased first-quarter income; First Run spins off Icarus Films; research says Blu-ray growth won’t compensate for bigger movie budgets. 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 …………………………… 10 Independent studios clean up at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival with such acquisitions as Indican Pictures’ 8 Wheels and Some Soul Brotha’ Music. Chris Tribbey, Senior Reporter 818-788-8616, FAX 818-530-2486 16130 Ventura Blvd. #570 Encino, CA 91436 News ………………………… CREDIT Credit/Collections Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ron Wright Sr. MGM HD signs with Comcast and Time Warner Cable; a Microsoft executive says Xbox 360 won’t get a BD drive. 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 8 Wheels and Some Soul Brotha’ Music 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; Executive Vice President: Jon Leibowitz; 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. Hardware ……………………… 16 See what Blu-ray players are shipping this summer and beyond. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room 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 Commentary …………………… 26 Assistant managing editor John Latchem says consumers aren’t rushing to swap old DVDs for Blu-ray. News ………………………… 24 Skype users get film clips from Jaman; survey shows young people influence family media buying; smartphones not so smart in durability? TV DVD ………………………… 28 Classic Media prepares the first DVD of Cartoon Networks’ new “George of the Jungle” series. Research ……………………… 36 Buyers found Sony Pictures’ Untraceable while renters went mad for Anchor Bay’s Mad Money. Printed in the U.S.A. Reviews ………………………… 30 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 Will “Futurama” fans clamor to collect The Beast With a Billion Backs? Does Honeydripper make for Top 20 DVD Sellers ……………………… 36 a good addition to the John Sayles canon? Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts ……… 37 Pipeline ………………………… 35 Just Announced ……………… 38 Soak up the ’80s goodness with The Lather Effect and an “I Love the ’80s” line from Paramount. Sony Pictures deals out 21; Paramount knocks out Drillbit Taylor; Fox opens Shutter. May 25–31, 2008 Home Media Magazine http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.entertainmentaidsalliance.org http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.homemediaconferences.com http://www.homemediaexpo.com http://comic-con.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - May 25 - 31, 2008

Home Media Magazine - May 25 - 31, 2008 Contents News Hardware Commentary TV DVD Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced

Home Media Magazine - May 25 - 31, 2008

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