Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - (Page 4) NEWS BRIEFS I MORE ‘CARE BEARS’ FOR LIONSGATE Lionsgate has extended its partnership with American Greetings Properties by obtaining the distribution rights to 48 episodes of the new TV series “Care Bears: Adventures in Care-A-Lot,” as well as an all-CGI-animated movie slated for release this fall. Also via American Greetings, Lionsgate has landed the rights to the CBS TV children’s series “Sushi Pack.” – Chris Tribbey www.homemediamagazine.com Genius Stock Delisted Genius gets some help from GNPR, which will acquire a 60% stake in the company By Erik Gruenwedel and John Latchem SUPPLIER The restructuring of beleaguered Genius Products has begun. GNPR Investments LLC, an affiliate of Quadrant Management, will acquire a 60% ownership stake in the company from affiliates of The Weinstein Co., which retains a 15% stake. Previously, Weinstein owned a 70% stake. Genius also has renegotiated its distribution agreement with Weinstein. The move comes after the DVD distributor said its shares had been delisted from the “over-the-counter” board (OCTBB) to the pink sheets, effective Dec. 24. The delisting is due to Genius’ inability to report third-quarter fiscal-2008 results (ended Sept. 30) in a timely manner, a reality the Santa Monica, Calif.-based company disclosed in November when it formally requested a filing extension with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Genius will undergo a reorganization that includes changes to its cost structure and renegotiating existing agreements with vendors and content partners. In addi- 30 YEARS OF NEWS JANUARY I 1995 SD Format Makes Way for DVD It seems every major home video format has been accompanied by some competition. DVD is no exception. Sony and Phillips unveiled the Multi-Media Compact Disc, or MMCD, in December 1994. A month later, Time Warner Inc. and Toshiba Corp. revealed the Super Density disc, or SD, and a list of supporters, including Paramount, MGM/UA, MCA/Universal, Turner, Matsushita, JVC, Pioneer, Hitachi and Thomson Consumer Electronics. Widespread industry support helped pave the way for DVD, a unified standard more similar to the SD disc but with the dual-layer option offered by MMCD. The format was finalized and introduced to the Japanese public in 1996 and the United States in 1997. “Home video has to be competitive with what TV is going to look like in the next 10 to 15 years,” said Warner Home Video president Warren Lieberfarb, widely known as being the “father of DVD.” – Billy Gil I BORDERS CONTINUES ‘AMERICAN LIFE’ EXCLUSIVE Borders bookstore chain will once again have the exclusive DVD release for “This American Life,” the Showtime series hosted by Ira Glass. This American Life: The Second Season debuts at Borders and Borders.com Jan. 20 at $19.99, distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment and CBS DVD. The first season of “This American Life” also was a Borders exclusive last year, prior to a wide release in September. – John Latchem tion Genius will consider a range of strategic and financial alternatives, including recapitalization, refinancing and going private. “After 12 months of maintaining current reporting, we will have the opportunity to move back to the OTCBB,” said Trevor Drinkwater, president and CEO of Genius. As a result of the Quadrant acquisition, three Genius directors appointed by The Weinstein Co. resigned from the board, to be replaced by representatives of the new majority owner. “Quadrant’s impeccable track record and leadership, along with their significant music catalog, film library and their new investment in video games that they are bringing to Genius, equals a win for all parties involved,” said Bob Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Co. Weinstein remains the primary content partner for Genius, which will continue as the exclusive U.S. home video distributor for Weinstein feature films and directto-video titles. The agreement is in place through Dec. 31, 2010, with a mutual option for a one-year extension. Trans World December Sales No Gift By Erik Gruenwedel RETAIL Citing unexpected non-new releases from Eminem and 50 Cent, coupled with a stronger DVD release slate the previous year, Trans World Entertainment Corp. reported a comparable-store sales drop of 14% for the nine-week period ended Jan. 3. Albany, N.Y.-based Trans World operates more than 700 largely f.y.e retail stores, in addition to Second Spin and related Web sites. For the five-week period that ended the same time, comp-store sales decreased 12%. Sales for the nine-week period totaled $287 million, versus $378 million during the same period a year prior — a 24% drop. Total sales for the five-week pe- I TLAVIDEO.COM OFFERS DISCOUNTED GAY DVDS TLAvideo.com, the Web arm of gay, lesbian and arthouse DVD distributor TLA Video, is offering essential gay cinema DVDs at $9.99 each. Available titles include Big Eden, Latter Days, Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel, The Consequence, Poster Boy, River Made to Drown In and A Very Natural Thing. – Billy Gil riod decreased 22% to $206 million, compared to $264 million the previous year. During the nine-week period, Trans World operated 18% fewer stores than the previous year. Company officials cited industrywide declines in music CD sales, video and the economic environment. “Sales for the holiday season were well below our expectations,” said Robert Higgins, chairman and CEO, in a call with investors. “With this season’s holiday sales being lower than our expectations, we now antici- By Chris Tribbey SUPPLIER Lionsgate will acquire the TV pate EBITDA for the fourth quarter LIONSGATE TO BUY TVGUIDE.COM See TRANS WORLD, Page 20 TRANS WORLD CEO GETS EXTENSION, PAY CUT By Erik Gruenwedel I EMA SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE Applications for the Entertainment Merchants Association’s 2009 scholarships are now available. Open to current and incoming college students among EMA-member families, the scholarships have provided more than $1 million in financial assistance to more than 215 students since 1987. For information, visit entmerch.org/ scholarship_foundation.html. – Chris Tribbey Robert Higgins, founder and CEO of Trans World Entertainment Corp., received a three-year contract extension with a base salary of $1 million a year — $250,000 per year less than the previous five-year contract that ended April 30, 2008. RETAIL Higgins’ contract, which took effect Dec. 30, includes 1.1 million shares of restricted stock, the opportunity to earn a bonus of up to 200% his base salary, and related expenses, according to a regulatory filing. See CEO, Page 20 TRENDS IN HIT THEATRICAL-TO-DVD RELEASES AVERAGE DAYS BETWEEN THEATRICAL DEBUT AND DVD RELEASE 2003 - 2008* 160 153 145.8 141.8 129.2 126 129.5 I SHOREWOOD PACKAGING OPENS EUROPEAN DIVISION Shorewood Packaging, which provides consumer products packaging and is owned by International Paper, has debuted Shorewood.blueprint, a Londonbased design and development center, to provide support for European home entertainment companies. Products and services will include packaging design and digital prepress. The division also will operate as Shorewood Packaging’s exclusive European sales arm. – Billy Gil It has become clear the window between a hit film’s theatrical release and its DVD debut has stabilized at just less than 130 days. For the past six years the studios have averaged roughly 100 films per year on DVD that have grossed at least $25 million in their theatrical runs. The average for the move from theaters to the home entertainment market was 153 days in 2003, dropping to 145.8 days in 2004 and shaving another four days in 2005 to average 141.8 days. But in the last three years these theatrical hits have averaged between 126 to 129.5 days. This seems to work best for the studios … at least for now. — Ralph Tribbey 150 140 130 120 110 100 2003 96 films 101 films 97 films 105 films 93 films 104 films * Hit Theatrical defined as having a domestic box office gross of at least $25 million. Excluded from the release counts are seasonal film releases. I RELEASE ACTIVITY FOR DVD Titles in Release Through Week Ended Dec. 31, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total Net DVD Titles Announced and/or In Release Through April 30, 2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94,953+496 95,531+651 I RELEASE ACTIVITY FOR BLU-RAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . As of Week Ended Dec. 31, 2008 Released 1,065 Scheduled 138 Guide Network and TV Guide Online properties from Macrovision, in a deal worth a reported $255 million. The deal negates a similar one announced Dec. 18 between Macrovision and Allen Shapiro and One Equity Partners, also for $255 million. “This is tremendous real estate, rarely available, that fits extremely well with our strategy of combining content creation, distribution and direct access to the consumer,” said Jon Feltheimer, Lionsgate co-chairman and CEO. He said TV Guide Network’s reach (83 million homes) and TVGuide.com’s online presence (15 million unique visitors each month) made the deal attractive to the studio. “This deal is consistent with our track record of accretive and potentially transformative acquisitions that are establishing the foundation for sustainable long-term growth,” he said. Ryan O’Hara, president of TV Guide Network, called the deal a unique opportunity to pair Lionsgate’s content with his company’s platforms. Macrovision president and CEO Fred Amoroso said Lionsgate’s ability to fund the transaction with existing cash and available funds, with the closing not subject to financial performance requirements, allowed the deal to happen. Macrovision will retain its grid syndications business through TVGuide.com, where it licenses its online guide to other Web sites. The deal is expected to close by Feb. 28. Home Media Magazine January 12–18, 2009 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.Borders.com http://www.TLAVIDEO.COM http://www.TVGUIDE.COM http://www.TLAvideo.com http://www.entmerch.org/scholarship_foundation.html http://www.entmerch.org/scholarship_foundation.html http://www.TVGuide.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 Contents News Cine Mercado Reviews Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - (Page 1) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - (Page 2) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Contents (Page 3) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - News (Page 4) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - News (Page 5) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - News (Page 6) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - News (Page 7) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - News (Page 8) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - News (Page 9) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Cine Mercado (Page 10) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Cine Mercado (Page 11) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Reviews (Page 12) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Reviews (Page 13) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Reviews (Page 14) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Reviews (Page 15) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 16) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 17) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 18) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 19) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 20) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 21) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 22) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 23) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 24) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 25) Home Media Magazine - January 11, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 26)
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