Home Media Magazine - June 8-14, 2008 - (Page 3)

www.homemediamagazine.com MENU FROM THE EDITOR BY STEPHANIE PRANGE, EDITOR IN CHIEF www.homemediamagazine.com The Tide May Be Turning for 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 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 fter a steady drumbeat from the consumer press on the holds, that percentage translates to a pool of almost 4 million failings of Blu-ray Disc, the news was decidedly upbeat potential BD player buyers,” said Russ Crupnick, entertainin recent weeks. ment industry analyst for NPD (see story, cover). Wal-Mart finally joined the Blu-ray bandwagon in earnest, “The door is open for studios to feed the consumer’s appetite bringing its low-price power to the market. Then, after launch- for Blu-ray content, and we expect sales to increase, as prices ing a $298 player (albeit a lower-profile one), the retailer an- for hardware and software moderate in the coming months,” nounced that from June 8 through June 14 it will include a Crupnick said. $100 gift card with the purchase of any Blu-ray I’ll leave it to our publisher Thomas K. Arplayer in its stores. That means a less-than- BLU-RAY SOFTWARE SALES nold to say “I told you so” in his next column, $200 Blu-ray player for the lucky shopper LOOK READY TO POP AS as he has been critical of the treatment of Bluwho takes advantage of the sale. The promoWELL. THE SLATE HASN’T ray in the media, but I can note that Blu-ray tion, which coincides with the completion of a BEEN GREAT IN THE PAST FEW software sales look ready to pop as well. The major renovation of the Wal-Mart’s consumer MONTHS, BUT THE REVENUE slate hasn’t been great in the past few months, electronics department in 1,200 stores nationHAS BEEN CLIMBING but the revenue has been climbing in recent wide, also includes select Blu-ray movies for weeks, albeit in fits and starts. $15 while supplies last. I think once consumers see Blu-ray Disc, they’ll be hooked, Meanwhile, it seems consumers aren’t as dismissive of the just as seeing high-definition television programming makes Blu-ray format as previously thought. one realize how blurry and inferior non-high-definition proA new NPD Group consumer study said 45% of HDTV own- gramming is. ers claim to be familiar with next-generation packaged-media Blu-ray is a step forward, and I think consumers will soon Blu-ray, up from 35% in June 2007. The study also said 6% of come to realize it. consumers surveyed intend to purchase a Blu-ray player. “With HDTV now in approximately 40 million U.S. house- 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 JUNE 8-14, 2008 / VOL. 30 / NO. 23 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. 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 6 8 >> HIGH- DEF Transformers 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 Many “Indiana Jones” moviegoers watch the first three installments on DVD; Wii is projected to win the console war; DVD helps Lionsgate post a profit. News …………………………… Chris Tribbey, Senior Reporter 818-788-8616, FAX 818-530-2486 16130 Ventura Blvd. #570 Encino, CA 91436 Lionsgate builds its kidvid distribution; the next week’s top DVD sellers and renters are projected; retailers offer various Blu-ray promotions. News ………………………… CREDIT Credit/Collections Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ron Wright Sr. 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 Transformers comes to Blu-ray Disc; Warner unearths The Lost Boys and a DTV sequel for BD; DirecTV airs HD South Park: Imaginationland. 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 >> EL ECTRONIC D EL IV ERY Recount 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. TV DVD ………………………… 14 HBO slates Recount; Sony Pictures plans “Mr. Man” DVDs; Shout! Factory gets two kids shows. I EMA’S HOME MEDIA EXPO 2008 Extreme Sports ……………… 16 Lionsgate makes waves in the extreme sports genre, re-releasing Step Into Liquid on DVD and Blu-ray. News ………………………… KidVid ………………………… 18 See a list of upcoming children’s and familyfriendly titles. Panasonic shows off its Web-enabled Viera plasma HDTVs; Akimbo shuts down; Time Warner says it will release a wireless cable modem box. 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 Research ……………………… 24 Printed in the U.S.A. Lionsgate’s Rambo shoots onto the charts, claiming Reviews ………………………… the top rental spot and coming in just behind National Does John Adams hit all the right notes as a potent Treasure: Book of Secrets in top sales. historical drama? Is Never Forever a sexy story of infidelity? Top 20 DVD Sellers ……………………… 24 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 ………………………… 23 Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts ……… 25 Heathers writer Daniel Waters discusses the seminal Just Announced ……………… high-school film, re-releasing from Anchor Bay. Summit Entertainment unleashes Never Back Down. June 8–14, 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 - June 8-14, 2008

Home Media Magazine - June 8, 2008 Contents News News High-Def News Electronic Delivery News TV DVD Extreme Sports KidVid Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced

Home Media Magazine - June 8-14, 2008

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