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The top news and charts for week ending July 6, 2007 .
Retailers try mainstream promotion of high-def Movie Gallery fails to meet credit facility 7-Eleven exec to be new Blockbuster CEO |
"SHOOTER" leads Top DVD Renters Chart "SHOOTER" leads Top DVD Sellers Chart "PLANET EARTH: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION" leads Top HD DVD Sellers Chart "PLANET EARTH: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION" leads Top Blu-ray Sellers Chart |
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DVD burning kiosks planned for the holidays
JULY 5 | Movie download kiosks are likely to start rolling out on a trial basis at stores this holiday season now that disc burning using copy-protection technology CSS has gotten the go-ahead.
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Dog's Breakfast gets online debut before DVD
JULY 5 | MGM Home Entertainment debuted cult hit A Dog’s Breakfast on iTunes and Amazon Unbox this week, more than two months before the film reaches DVD.
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Movie Gallery fails to meet credit facility
JULY 2 | UPDATE: Movie Gallery reported that, due to a softer-than-expected second quarter, it was unable to meet the terms of its credit facility for the quarter ended July 1. The company is discussing with its lenders whether it will be able to remedy the defaults by seeking a waiver, amendment or forbearance. Michael Pachter, research analyst with Wedbush Morgan securities, said he thinks there’s a better than average chance that Movie Gallery could declare bankruptcy.
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EMA names Katt Williams Rising Entertainer of the Year
JULY 3 | The Entertainment Merchants Assn. will name actor/comedian Katt Williams Rising Entertainer of the Year during its 2007 Home Entertainment Awards July 17, as part of the Home Media Expo in Las Vegas.
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Kiosk company signs supplier for DVD burning
JULY 2 | Kiosk company TitleMatch Entertainment Group has inked a distribution deal with Bollywood film company Eros Entertainment to make the supplier’s films available for on-demand burning through in-store kiosks and online.
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EMA to honor Jon Favreau at Home Media Expo
JULY 2 | The Entertainment Merchants Assn. will honor Jon Favreau with the Independent Career Achievement award at the 2007 Home Entertainment Awards during the Home Media Expo in Las Vegas. EMA also said Monday that actor/singer/songwriter John Schneider (Dukes of Hazzard) will perform at the awards show July 17.
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Amazon, Microsoft release 1,000 indie films on HD DVD
JULY 2 | UPDATE: Hungry for more high-definition content, Amazon.com has partnered with HD DVD backer Microsoft Corp. to bring more independent filmmakers into high-def DVD by offering free manufacturing through the retailer’s DVD-on-demand site CustomFlix. The deal is not exclusive and Amazon spokesman Sean Sundwall said the company would be happy to do the same with Blu-ray if the opportunity presented itself.
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7-Eleven exec to be new Blockbuster CEO
JULY 2 | UPDATE: Blockbuster has hired former 7-Eleven president and CEO James W. Keyes as CEO, replacing John Antioco, who will be leaving the company at the end of the year. Keyes takes over the CEO and chairman roles at Blockbuster today, with Antioco assisting the transition. Keyes told VB he sees himself as a “stimulator of change” who will help Blockbuster “do a better job in the four walls” as well as use technology to go beyond them.
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Hollywood Video raises funds for Starlight Starbright
JULY 2 | The Hollywood Video division of Movie Gallery is conducting an in-store fundraiser for the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation July 1-23.
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Retailers try mainstream promotion of high-def
JULY 6 | Retailers are going mainstream with their marketing and merchandising efforts for high-definition discs as the number of titles released across the HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats approaches 1,000. Amazon.com, Best Buy, Trans World, Virgin Megastores and others are promoting both formats, unwilling to potentially snub a portion of their early adopter consumers.
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Liberation to release Manufacturing Dissent
JULY 6 | Liberation Entertainment is hoping to ride the coattails of current Michael Moore documentary Sicko with the fall DVD Manufacturing Dissent, which examines the filmmaking methods of Moore himself.
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Paramount promotes Sooter to oversee worldwide marketing
JULY 6 | Paramount Home Entertainment named Kelly Sooter executive VP and general manager of worldwide marketing, expanding her role at the studio. In her new role, she will oversee domestic and international brand marketing, creative services and DVD content development.
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Dog's Breakfast gets online debut before DVD
JULY 5 | MGM Home Entertainment debuted cult hit A Dog’s Breakfast on iTunes and Amazon Unbox this week, more than two months before the film reaches DVD.
Full Story
Kiosk company signs supplier for DVD burning
JULY 2 | Kiosk company TitleMatch Entertainment Group has inked a distribution deal with Bollywood film company Eros Entertainment to make the supplier’s films available for on-demand burning through in-store kiosks and online.
Full Story
Studios read more into DVD movies
JULY 2 | Studios are turning into regular book worms, with several prepping DVD premiere movies based on best-selling novels.
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EU steps up anti-trust probe into high-def formats
JULY 3 | FROM CONTENTAGENDA: The European Union's anti-trust regulator has asked Hollywood studios to turn over information about their negotiations with the developers of high-definition DVD formats, giving them until the end of this week to respond.
Full Story
Amazon, Microsoft release 1,000 indie films on HD DVD
JULY 2 | UPDATE: Hungry for more high-definition content, Amazon.com has partnered with HD DVD backer Microsoft Corp. to bring more independent filmmakers into high-def DVD by offering free manufacturing through the retailer’s DVD-on-demand site CustomFlix. The deal is not exclusive and Amazon spokesman Sean Sundwall said the company would be happy to do the same with Blu-ray if the opportunity presented itself.
Full Story
Xbox problems cost Microsoft $1 billion
JULY 6 | FROM VARIETY: Defective Xbox 360s will cost Microsoft more than $1 billion on its bottom line. Tech giant announced Thursday that it will be taking a charge of between $1.05 billion and $1.15 billion and is extending its warranty to three years to address frequent problems in its videogame console.
Full Story
DVD burning kiosks planned for the holidays
JULY 5 | Movie download kiosks are likely to start rolling out on a trial basis at stores this holiday season now that disc burning using copy-protection technology CSS has gotten the go-ahead.
Full Story
Dog's Breakfast gets online debut before DVD
JULY 5 | MGM Home Entertainment debuted cult hit A Dog’s Breakfast on iTunes and Amazon Unbox this week, more than two months before the film reaches DVD.
Full Story
Retailers try mainstream promotion of high-def
JULY 6 | Retailers are going mainstream with their marketing and merchandising efforts for high-definition discs as the number of titles released across the HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats approaches 1,000. Amazon.com, Best Buy, Trans World, Virgin Megastores and others are promoting both formats, unwilling to potentially snub a portion of their early adopter consumers.
Full Story
Samsung BD-P1200 player has Ethernet, lower price
JULY 6 | Samsung’s second-generation player is among the few Blu-ray Disc stand-alones in the market to boast an Ethernet connection, but consumer reception is so far relatively quiet in a market that is currently more driven by price than features, say retailers.
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EU steps up anti-trust probe into high-def formats
JULY 3 | FROM CONTENTAGENDA: The European Union's anti-trust regulator has asked Hollywood studios to turn over information about their negotiations with the developers of high-definition DVD formats, giving them until the end of this week to respond.
Full Story
Amazon, Microsoft release 1,000 indie films on HD DVD
JULY 2 | UPDATE: Hungry for more high-definition content, Amazon.com has partnered with HD DVD backer Microsoft Corp. to bring more independent filmmakers into high-def DVD by offering free manufacturing through the retailer’s DVD-on-demand site CustomFlix. The deal is not exclusive and Amazon spokesman Sean Sundwall said the company would be happy to do the same with Blu-ray if the opportunity presented itself.
Full Story
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